Personal Relationships
by Evendale
Summary: When the Professor recruits disgraced ex-cop Raquel Murillo for his heist on the Spanish Mint, he has no idea how hard she will make it for him to stick to his first and most important rule: no personal relationships. Tags: AU, slow burn, flirting, fluff, rated M for eventual smut
1. Persuasion

Raquel Murillo wondered how the _fuck _she had ended up here. A few months ago, she had been a wife, a mother, a respected and highly-ranked police officer. Now she was in the back of a police van, in handcuffs, being driven to a low-security prison just outside of Madrid. She was still numb with disbelief. She'd known her ex-husband was a bastard – she just hadn't known _how much _of a bastard until she had served him with divorce papers and threatened to win full custody over Paula. The van bumped a little over an uneven patch of road and she was jostled against the two police officers sitting next to her – officers she would have outranked only a few days ago.

Then the van abruptly came to a stop, and she frowned. They couldn't be there yet. She tensed alongside her two ex-colleagues as they heard shouting outside, and the men exchanged nervous glances. A moment later, the door in the back was pulled open, and four large men were standing there, covered in tattoos and aiming heavy semi-automatic guns straight at them. _They're making a mistake, _was her first thought. _They think this is a money transport. _The policeman on Raquel's left raised his hands immediately, but the cocky twenty-something on her right actually drew his gun.

"Don't be stupid", she snapped at him. "Put that thing down. You're clearly outnumbered and they have better guns."

One of the tattooed men grinned. "Listen to the lady, kid. She makes a lot of sense."

The young policeman hesitated, then put his gun on the floor of the van and kicked it towards the back. The tattooed man caught it.

"Good", he said, then nodded towards Raquel. "You. Come with us."

"Me?" she said in utter confusion.

"Yes, you. Come out or I'll drag you out."

She didn't much like the thought of going with four men who were armed to the teeth, but she didn't see any other options, either. She slowly got up and made her way towards the back of the van, where one of the men took her by the arm and helped her out. Then they slammed the back door, and led her away from the vehicle.

"Look", she said, "I think there's been a mistake. What the hell could you possibly want with me?"

The man who'd spoken before turned to her. "The Professor wants to talk to you."

She frowned. "Who?"

"He has a job offer for you."

She stared at him. "A _job offer_? I'm going to _prison_."

"But you're innocent, right?"

Her eyebrows rose. "How do you know that?"

"The Professor knows a lot of useful things. If you come with us, you don't have to go to prison."

She narrowed her eyes. "Where would you be taking me?"

"To a safe location, where the Professor will be waiting for you."

"Who is this 'Professor'?"

He grinned. "That's information I can't disclose. The only thing you need to know right now is that he has a proposition for you. Do you want to hear it or not?"

She shook her head. "I only have a short sentence to serve, I'd be out in a few years on good behavior. If I go with you, I become a fugitive for the rest of my life. At least when I come out of prison, I can go back into society."

He gave her a sly look. "But will they give you back your daughter?"

She stared at him. "How do you know about my daughter?"

"Doesn't matter. Will you ever get custody of her again?"

She swallowed hard. "Maybe."

"The Professor has a plan that will get you reunited with her in six months."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "How?"

"I'll let him explain that. Are you coming with us or not?"

"What if I say no?"

"Then we'll say we made a mistake, put you back in that van, and let you go serve your prison sentence. It's your call."

She hesitated. "Six months, you say?"

"Give or take."

She did a quick mental calculation. If she went with them and didn't like the proposition of this 'Professor' character, she could always turn herself in again, say she was kidnapped. It probably wouldn't add to her prison sentence. _If I could see Paula again in six months… _Maybe it couldn't hurt to hear what he had to say.

She nodded. "Alright. Take me to the Professor."

…

Sergio was fidgeting in his chair in the middle of the living room of the safe house, nervous. Getting his team together had been relatively easy so far, but this next person could present something of a challenge. She wasn't crucial to the success of his operation, but she could be very useful, and when the opportunity to recruit her had presented itself so neatly, he felt like he would be a fool not to try. Raquel Murillo. For the longest time, he had assumed that she would be their negotiator for the heist, and he had researched her as much as possible. Then her ex-husband had framed her in order to win a custody battle, and his careful planning had been upset. Still, the situation could turn out to his advantage.

When he heard a car draw up outside the front door, he stood up and took a few deep breaths. When they led her in, he immediately recognized her from the many pictures he'd seen of her: an attractive woman in her early forties, looking tired and beaten down after the last grueling months of court cases and inquiries. He'd researched her extensively, but he hadn't been prepared for the sheer presence of her – her quiet strength, the intelligence apparent in her dark eyes as she took in every detail of her surroundings. From that very first look, he realized that she would be a valuable member for their team.

He tried a tentative smile and nodded at her.

"Ms. Murillo."

She gave him a suspicious look. "Who the fuck _are_ you?"

"They call me the Professor."

"So I've heard. What's your real name?"

"You don't need to know that."

He held out a hand to a chair opposite his, and she sat. Only then did he notice that she was still in handcuffs. He shot his associates a reproachful look.

"Why is Ms. Murillo still cuffed? She's a guest here, not a prisoner."

One of the men produced a metal pin from his pocket and deftly opened Raquel's handcuffs. She rubbed her wrists as she eyed him, tense, on the edge of her seat. He shook hands with the four men, and her eyes followed them as they left. He sat down in his own chair and began.

"Life has dealt you a terrible hand, Ms. Murillo. You got divorced, you got framed, you lost custody. Now you were headed for prison."

She gave him a cold look. "Thank you for summing that up so nicely."

"I have a proposition I think might interest you."

"They said you can reunite me with my daughter. How?"

He nodded. "I think I can. But I'll require your cooperation first."

"You're blackmailing me?"

He shook his head. "Merely offering you an option beside prison. You're perfectly free to refuse."

Her eyes were still suspicious, but she nodded. "Alright. Let's hear it."

He cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up his nose. "I'm assembling a team for an operation I have planned. Your inside knowledge of police procedure could prove very valuable to me. If you want to join us, it will require several months of preparation in a secure location, and your assistance during the operation itself."

"What kind of operation?"

"I can't tell you that."

"But it's illegal, I presume?"

He inclined his head. "Technically, yes. However, if everything goes well, nobody will get hurt. Nobody will get robbed. Nobody will suffer any long-term negative consequences."

"What kind of things would I have to do?"

"You would work as a kind of… consultant. Nothing violent, nothing that might offend your sensibilities. I only want to draw on your knowledge and experience. And, of course, you wouldn't provide those things for free. If everything is successful, your share of the gains would be at least 100 million euros."

Her eyebrows shot up. "That's a lot of money."

"It is", he said, leaning forward. "Enough money to start a new life somewhere with your daughter, far away from Spain and your ex-husband."

He could see her realize the options which that much money would give her. She remained skeptical, however.

"How would I even get my daughter?"

"That's a simple enough matter of getting her out of school one morning and leaving the country before anyone catches on."

"How would I get out of the country?"

"I can assist you with that."

She was quiet for a while, thinking. "What's to stop me from going to the police with this information? I could probably bargain it for a reduction of my sentence."

He shook his head. "What exactly would you tell them? You don't know my name or what kind of operation I'm planning. All you know is the location of this disposable safe house, that I'll never set foot in again if you decide not to join my team."

She gave him a calculating look, then slowly bent down and picked the open handcuffs off the floor. "I could arrest you right now and take you in myself."

He tensed, but didn't move. "You could try."

They sat in silence for a moment, measuring each other up. _She's brave and resourceful_, he thought, _I like that_. He liked it even more, however, when he saw her reach the only rational conclusion and throw the handcuffs back onto the floor.

"I don't have any evidence against you", she said bitterly.

He shook his head. "No, you don't."

She could keep a cool head and think fast – those were valuable things in a control room. He wanted her on the team even more now. He leaned forward again and tried a different tack.

"Ms. Murillo, do you really want to go to prison for a crime you didn't commit?"

"Why are you so sure I didn't do it?"

He gave her a careful look. "I've researched you thoroughly, Inspectora. You are not the kind of woman to steal drugs from an evidence locker with the intention to sell them. You're too smart for that, not to mention that you have too much integrity. I assume your ex-husband planted them in your house?"

She pressed her lips together and nodded. "He did."

"And the judge didn't believe your allegations of domestic violence?"

He could see that the injustice of it still stung her deeply.

"No", she said bitterly. "He didn't."

He looked into her eyes. "You don't deserve to go to prison, Ms. Murillo. You don't deserve to have your daughter taken away from you. If the system is unjust, you need to fight it. That's what we're going to do."

He could see that his words were beginning to sway her.

She frowned at him. "How big is the risk?"

He shrugged. "There's always a risk, of course. But I can assure you that I've planned this operation most meticulously, and you would be the person who will be least likely to get caught."

"And what if I do get caught?"

"Then you'll go to prison. Not unlike your current situation."

She hesitated, and he played his trump card. He'd rehearsed this next part over and over.

"Think of your daughter, Ms. Murillo. How many years did you get?"

She bit her lip. "Nine, but I'll be out in seven."

"And how old is she now?"

"Eight."

"So she'll be fifteen when you get out. Think of all the things you'll miss. Birthdays and Christmases, report cards and play dates. New friends. Her first boyfriend. She'll be almost grown up the next time you see her."

There were tears in her eyes. "I'll still see her!"

His voice was soft. "Really? You think your ex-husband will allow her to visit you in prison?"

She glared at him. "This is pure emotional manipulation."

"Maybe it is, but does that make it any less true?"

She kept glaring at him for a few more moments, then lowered her eyes. "No."

He gave her a moment to regain her composure as she took a few deep breaths. Then…

"What if I say yes?"

He perked up. "Then you'll stay in this safe house for the next two weeks. There is plenty of food and clean clothes, a television and books to read. They'll be looking for you, so you shouldn't go outside under any circumstances until one of my associates comes to pick you up to bring you to the location where we will prepare for the operation."

She was quiet for a long time, staring at the floor. After several minutes, he moved to get up.

"No need to decide now, Ms. Murillo. You can stay here for a few days while you think things over."

"No", she said softly. "I don't need to think things over."

He sat back down, and when she raised her gaze he saw a fire in her eyes that hadn't been there before.

"They took everything from me", she said in a low voice, "and I thought that I couldn't do anything about it. I thought my life was over. But you're giving me a chance, and I'll be damned if I don't take it. I won't be a victim anymore. I'll show those bastards."

She gave him a fierce look, and he felt a flash of admiration.

"You really think I could get my daughter back?"

He nodded. "I can promise you that I'll do everything in my power to arrange it."

She took a deep breath, then gave a determined nod. "Alright. I'll do it."

…

Two weeks later, he stood on the front steps of the house near Toledo that he'd rented for the occasion, and watched the members of his band trickle in. He greeted them all without calling them by their names, including his brother, who arrived at the same time as the rest of them so as not to give away the personal nature of their relationship. Raquel was the last to arrive, and he wondered for a moment if she'd run away after all, if his associate would have found an empty house waiting for him. Then the car came up the driveway, and she got out, dressed in a leather jacket, carrying two bags. He noticed immediately that she looked much better than she had two weeks ago: well rested, full of energy and determination. Hope could do that to people.

When she reached him at the front door, she gave him a nod, unsmiling, and he nodded back.

"I thought perhaps you weren't coming."

"Like hell I wasn't", she said, and he could feel the quiet anger burning underneath her calm exterior. "If I say I'm in, I'm in. Let's fucking do this."

He smiled as she swept past him into the house.

Now that everyone was there, he let them file up the stairs and into their 'classroom' for the first time. They all sat down, some of them a little tense, others immediately at ease. He turned to the blackboard, trying not to show how nervous he was, and wrote 'Bienvenidos'. The instant he turned around to face them, though, he felt his nervousness disappear. This was it. The moment he had been preparing for all these years. He knew what to do. He knew what to say.

"Welcome, all. I want to thank you for accepting this job offer. We will live here, far away from any distractions. We will stay here for five months while we study this heist."

"What do you mean, five months?" asked the man he knew to be Agustín Ramos. "Are you mad?"

He sat on the edge of the desk and prepared to explain his reasoning, a reasoning that he had repeated to himself dozens of times. "Look. People spend years in school, to end up with a salary that, even in the best of cases, is kind of shitty. What are five months? I've been thinking about this…" he needed a moment before he could continue, thinking of the years, the _decades_ of his life that he had spent planning this, "… for much longer. So I would never have to work again. And neither will you. Or your children."

They all shifted in their seats.

He nodded, then moved to the blackboard, all business. "Right. We don't know each other, and we'll keep it that way. I don't want any names, or personal questions, and of course…"

He looked up, and his eyes were drawn to the back of the classroom, where Raquel was sitting, looking at him intently. "… no personal relationships."


	2. Lisbon

At their first dinner together, the conversation went smoother than Sergio had feared. The younger people took to each other immediately, and there was joking and laughter and a general atmosphere of giddy excitement about the adventure they were embarking on together. By the end of the meal, everyone was joining in… except for himself, of course. He preferred to observe rather than participate. Then he noticed that, on the other side of the table, Raquel wasn't saying anything either, leaning back in her chair with a serious expression, listening to the jokes without even a smile. He wondered if she was having second thoughts.

After the plates were cleared away, an awkward silence fell, and Sergio decided to break it by asking:

"Why don't we go around the table and you introduce yourselves with the city name you've chosen and the part you will play in our operation?"

He nodded to the woman sitting on Raquel's left, and she said:

"You can call me Nairobi. I'm a specialist in falsified banknotes, I'll be in charge of quality control."

Next up was his brother. "My name will be Berlin. I'm the Professor's second-in-command, and I'll be your captain once we're on the ground."

One by one, they announced their city names and functions. Raquel was last. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I'm here as a consultant", she said shortly.

"What kind of consultant?" Nairobi asked.

"Police procedure."

"How come you're an expert on police procedure?" Tokyo asked suspiciously.

Sergio opened his mouth to intervene, ready to give a vague answer, but Raquel didn't give him a chance. She raised her chin defiantly and said:

"Because, until a few months ago, I was a police inspector in Madrid."

Sergio grimaced. He wished she wouldn't have put things so bluntly, but he had to admit that she had guts. There was an immediate outbreak of angry shouts as everyone turned to him in indignation.

"What the _fuck, _Professor!" Tokyo shouted. "You brought a _fucking cop _here?"

He raised his hands, trying to calm them down. "She's not a cop anymore."

"So she turned on her former colleagues? She's a fucking rat and you think we can trust her?" Tokyo turned to Raquel with a look of utter contempt. "The only thing worse than a cop is a corrupt cop."

Raquel's dark eyes flashed. "I'm not a corrupt cop."

"Yeah, right", Nairobi laughed. "I'm sure you're here because you're so honest."

"Ladies", Sergio said, raising his voice slightly. "She has as good a reason to be here as anyone."

"I'd like to hear it", Moscow said calmly, and everyone fell silent, all eyes on Raquel.

She shot an angry look around the table. "You want to know why I'm here with you lot, a bunch of fucking criminals? Well, I'll tell you. I got framed by my son of a bitch ex-husband for a crime I didn't commit, and I was sentenced to nine years in prison. The Professor got me out on my way there."

"Right!" Nairobi said. "Your escape was on the news two weeks ago. _That's _where I recognize you from."

"Yes", she said. "That was me. The Professor gave me a second chance and I took it. And now I'm here, I'm in this just as much as you are."

Sergio cleared his throat. "If this operation is to succeed, it is of vital importance that we all trust each other."

"How the fuck can we trust her?" Tokyo said heatedly. "She's probably just here to learn about the plan, and the first opportunity she gets, she'll rat us out to her pals!"

"You think I still feel any loyalty towards them?" Raquel said, equally heatedly. "For those bastards who've known me for twenty years, but who believed that I was corrupt without question? Not a single one of them testified for me. Not a single one! You think I want to help them now? Fuck them!"

A murmur of approval sounded around the table, but Tokyo remained unconvinced.

"You're making a mistake, Professor. Let's kick her out now before she can gather any more information."

Raquel rolled her eyes. "Are you an idiot? If you're afraid I'd go to the police and tell them what you're planning, kicking me out would be the _stupidest _thing you could do. If you don't want me on the team now, your only option would be to keep me a prisoner here until after the heist. Or kill me."

Sergio quickly intervened before Tokyo could get any ideas. "Nobody's killing anyone! Listen, I know she won't betray us. I have a good reason to trust her."

"Oh yeah?" Tokyo challenged him. "What is it?"

Sergio looked at Raquel – it wasn't his place to talk about her daughter – but she crossed her arms and gave Tokyo a dark look.

"That's none of your goddamn business."

Tokyo turned to the others. "What do you all think of this?"

There was a short silence, then Berlin straightened up.

"If the Professor says we can trust her, that's good enough for me."

Sergio nodded at him in gratitude as the others voiced their agreement, however reluctantly.

Tokyo shot Raquel a venomous look. "Fine. But just because I have to put up with you doesn't mean I have to like you."

Raquel stared coldly back. "Likewise."

Sergio sighed. "Really, friction in the group is extremely counter-productive. We need to be able to count on each other in the heat of the moment. We need to be a team, a well-oiled machine. A single grain of sand can ruin things."

Raquel snorted. "Don't worry Professor, I'll remove your grain of sand. I'm going to bed."

She got up, then turned back to the table. "Oh, and by the way… you can call me Lisbon."

…

Over the next few days, they settled into a rhythm of classes, meals and free time. There was an overall atmosphere of goodwill and enthusiasm for the plan, and soon friendships began to form – in the beginning, Denver and Moscow mostly stuck together, as did the two Serbians, but after only a few days, the individual people began to coalesce into a tight-knit group. Sergio noticed, however, that their easy camaraderie didn't extend to Raquel. The group might have accepted her, but they never talked to her, and Tokyo was actively going out of her way to be unpleasant. This meant that Raquel spent most of her free time alone, only braving the company of the others for classes and at mealtimes. Sergio was concerned about this. Even though Raquel wouldn't be entering the Mint with the others, she would be manning the control room with him, and she would be in charge whenever he needed to sleep or in case he had to leave for some reason. The others needed to trust and respect her enough to take orders if needed.

He'd never been good at just talking to people, especially in a group context, so apart from when he was lecturing them, he mostly kept out of the conversation, content with listening and laughing along. After a few days, though, he felt like he needed to make an effort to make Raquel feel more included, since nobody else seemed inclined to try. Unlike the others, he had never had any run-ins with the police, so he didn't share their distaste for her – in fact, he respected and even liked her instinctively. He didn't want her to feel lonely. So he set aside his social anxieties and tentatively tried to strike up conversations with her.

At first she rebuffed him, giving only short answers and walking away from him, but after a few days her natural desire for companionship seemed to become too strong for her, and she started to seek him out, exchanging a few words with him during most breaks. During their conversations, short as they were, she kept surprising him with her intelligence and quick wit. When they talked about the classes, she showed a deep insight in and appreciation of his plans, which both impressed and flattered him. After a few days their conversations, though remaining superficial, became longer and longer, and he realized that he was starting to look forward to them and that, without thinking about it, he had made a habit of sitting down next to her at every meal. He knew he shouldn't focus his attention so much on one person, but for some reason, he felt much more comfortable with her than with any of the others.

One day during lunch, Tokyo had been particularly nasty to Raquel, and the others had ignored her as usual. After the meal was over, she got up silently and went towards the front door. He quickly pushed back his chair and went after her.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk", she said shortly.

He hesitated. "Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

She shrugged. "Do whatever you want."

They went out together into the gray and chilly day, and they walked for a few minutes in silence as he tried to find the right words to say.

"I'm sorry the rest of the group is so unpleasant to you."

She hunched her shoulders against the wind and frowned. "It's really only Tokyo who's unpleasant. The others just don't like me."

"I'm sure they'll come around once they get to know you", he tried to reassure her. "They just need to stop seeing you as a policewoman and start seeing you as a person."

"You mean they don't see me as human?"

"They can't really help it… They've only ever had negative experiences with the police before."

"Yes", she nodded. "I suppose I can understand why they don't want me here."

She took a breath and glanced sideways. "You don't have to feel obligated to talk to me just because nobody else does."

"I don't feel obligated", he assured her. "Besides, we have to get to know each other anyway."

She gave him a surprised look. "You want to get to know me?"

He hastened to explain: "Not… not personally, of course. But we're going to spend a lot of time together in the control room. We need to be comfortable around each other, learn one another's rhythms and habits."

"Oh", she said tonelessly. "Yes, of course."

They were silent for a while. Then she turned to him.

"So that rule you gave us on our first day here? No names, no personal questions…"

"… and no personal relationships", he supplied.

She nodded. "Yes, that one. Now what I'm wondering is this: how are we going to get to know each other without asking each other any personal questions?"

He hesitated. "I suppose we'll have to keep to neutral questions."

"What's a neutral question, according to you?"

He thought about it. "Well… what's your favorite color, for example?"

"Red", she said, then raised an eyebrow. "Do you feel like you know me better already?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, I see what you mean. Perhaps… perhaps questions of a semi-personal nature might be acceptable."

One corner of her mouth quirked up. "Questions of a _semi_-personal nature…"

"Yes."

"Can you give me some examples, so I can learn to distinguish between the different categories of questions? I wouldn't want to accidentally break a rule and ask you something personal."

He vaguely sensed that she was teasing him, but she was getting a serious answer anyway.

"Alright," he said, "A neutral question would be something like… 'what do you like for breakfast' or 'do you like cats or dogs?'"

"Question: are there neutral, personal and semi-personal _answers _as well as questions?"

He frowned. "I think the answer would usually align with the category of the question."

She gave him a grin that should have warned him. "I don't agree."

"You don't?"

"Take your neutral example questions, for instance. If you ask me if I prefer cats or dogs, I could say 'cats' and leave it at that. Neutral answer. But I could also say: 'I prefer cats as pets, but I prefer doggy-style in the bedroom.' Still a neutral answer?"

He was blushing now. "You're making fun of me."

She grinned. "Just a little. Now can you give me an example of a _personal_ question? Be sure to make it _very _personal, so I can clearly grasp the concept."

He blushed even deeper. "I'm sure you're mature enough to be able to distinguish between personal and impersonal questions without needing explicit examples."

"Don't forget the semi-personal ones."

He suppressed a smile. "Stop mocking me."

She chuckled, then said: "So can I try to ask you one of these semi-personal questions?"

"Sure", he said, tensing a little.

"How about: why do they call you 'the Professor'?"

"Oh", he smiled. "It's just a nickname I have."

"Where does it come from?"

He hesitated, glancing at her, then decided that it couldn't hurt to tell her. "I was often in hospital as a child. The nurses got to know me rather well. I was always reading, and I loved to talk to people about the things I'd learned. After a while, one of the nurses started calling me 'the little professor'. It caught on, and the nickname has stayed with me for my entire life."

She smiled. "That's cute. So what's your real name?"

He shook his head. "Rule number one, Lisbon: no names."

"You don't have to give me your full name, I'd just like to know your first name."

"I'm sorry", he said, "I can't tell you that."

"But it's not fair: you know _my _name. In fact, you know everything about me. What could it hurt if you just told me your first name?"

He gave her a pained look. "I really can't."

She looked away from him. "You don't trust me either."

"No, that's not it at all!"

"It's okay, why would you?"

"Look", he said, trying to explain. "I wouldn't tell any of the others either. If I don't follow my own rules, how can I expect anyone else to?"

"Fine", she said expressionlessly. "It doesn't matter. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."

And with those words, she turned and walked away from him, leaving him standing on the open hillside, feeling like he'd royally screwed up the situation.

…

She avoided him all evening. At dinner, she did not sit down next to him as usual, but between Moscow and Berlin, who were the least unfriendly towards her, and he felt vaguely disappointed. He knew he should try to make up with her somehow, because it really was important that they worked well together, but he had no idea how to go about it. After dinner, she got up and went straight to her room. When he went to bed that night, it took him a while to fall asleep – it bothered him that she was mad at him, he preferred to avoid interpersonal friction as it was a distraction from the things that really mattered. Finally he had to resort to breathing exercises to quiet his mind sufficiently to fall asleep.

He was awoken in the middle of the night by noises coming from the hallway. He opened sleepy eyes and frowned at his watch – 3.58 am. What the hell. He heaved himself out of bed and walked down the hallway towards the source of the noise: there was still a light on in the room of one of the women, and a soft strain of music was coming from beyond the door, accompanied by suppressed laughter and sounds of people moving around. His frown deepened as he opened the door. Tokyo and Nairobi were dancing around, wearing weird clothes and glasses, clearly drunk. Nairobi was actually wearing a string of fairy lights around her neck.

He cleared his throat and they froze. Giving them his sternest look, he pointed at his watch.

"It's 4.03 am. There's a lesson in the morning. It would be great if you were rested for class."

They mumbled apologies, but as he turned around and left, he heard them giggle, and he had no faith that they would actually go to bed now. He shook his head. He would never understand other people. They _knew _they had class in the morning. They _knew _that class was important. They _knew _they would be tired. They were adult people, perfectly capable of following that train of reasoning, and yet they _chose _to stay up and be tired in the morning. It was beyond his understanding, but he'd done all he could do, and he had to go back to sleep himself.

About halfway down the hallway, he passed Raquel's room and stopped. Did he hear noises coming from behind that door, too? He couldn't imagine that she'd have someone in her room – nobody even talked to her. Yet, there it was again, a soft but unmistakable noise of distress. He hesitated, then quietly turned the doorknob and opened the door just an inch. The room was dark, illuminated only by the light of the half-moon falling through the window onto the bed, where Raquel was sleeping. It was immediately clear to him that she was having a nightmare – she was tossing and turning and crying out in her sleep. He hesitated again. _She's going to wake the others_. He quickly slipped into the room and closed the door behind him, then moved to stand beside the bed.

"Lisbon", he said softly, then a little more insistently: "Lisbon."

She didn't seem to hear him. He stretched out a hand, hesitated, then withdrew it again. "_Raquel."_

This time, she woke up with a start.

"What?" she said, sitting up and looking around with confused eyes. "What's happening? Why are you in my room?"

"You had a nightmare", he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to intrude, I just wanted to wake you. I'll go now."

He turned to leave, but she stretched out a hand. "Wait… please."

He turned back to her, and she rubbed her face. "Would you mind staying, just for a moment, and talking to me? I need something to distract me from that dream."

He hesitated. "I'm not sure that's wise."

"Oh, get over yourself", she snapped. "What could it _possibly _hurt to talk to me for five minutes?"

He considered this for a moment, but he couldn't think of a way to extricate himself from the situation without being unforgivably rude. He nodded reluctantly. "Alright. Five minutes."

She threw him an amused look. "Are you just going to keep standing there? Sit down."

As she switched on the light on her night stand, he gingerly sat down on the very edge of the bed. There was an awkward pause.

"What do you want to talk about?" he finally asked her, and she shrugged.

"Anything."

He thought for a moment, then said tentatively: "Can I ask you something? Why haven't you told the others about your daughter?"

She gave him a stubborn look. "It's none of their business."

"It would make them trust you more."

"I thought we weren't supposed to talk about anything personal? My daughter is personal." Her eyes got a distant look as she continued in a soft voice: "That's what my dream was about... Paula. She… she was in trouble and I couldn't help her."

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay", she sighed, rubbing her face again. "It's just hard, you know? All of her life, I've watched over her, and now I can't anymore."

He nodded, and she went on: "I can only hope my sister will take care of her."

He frowned. "Your sister?"

"Yes", she said, giving him a wry smile. "My sister is living with my ex-husband now. Doesn't that sound like something straight from a soap opera?"

He hesitated. "Doesn't… doesn't it bother her that he framed you for drug possession?"

She gave him a dry look. "Does it _bother _her? Hell, she testified against me in the trial."

His eyebrows shot up. "She did _what_?"

"I know", she nodded. "Unbelievable, right? My own sister. She was so eager to impress Alberto – he has that effect on women. I should know, he once had that effect on me."

He tried to understand, but he couldn't. "But… he's an abuser, isn't he?"

She nodded sadly. "Sometimes it takes a long time to see the monster inside the man. It sure took me a very long time to see it, and my sister hasn't gotten to that point yet. But she will someday." She shook her head. "I still wish I could protect her from him. Even after all she's done to me, I don't want her to get hurt."

"You're a good person", he said softly.

She looked up at him. "Am I? It doesn't feel like it. I feel like such a failure."

He frowned. "Why?"

She swallowed. "Because of Paula. I should be there for her, and I'm not."

"You can't help what happened to you, it's not your fault."

"I shouldn't have let him frame me. I should have been smarter, I should have seen him earlier for what he really is."

He could see that she was getting upset and it alarmed him. She went on, her voice breaking:

"And now Paula is alone with him, and I don't know what will happen to her."

He was torn between his sympathy for her and discomfort at her distress. "Do you… do you think he'd hurt her?"

"I don't know. He never has before, but what if he starts taking his anger out on her now that I'm not there anymore to catch it?" To his utter consternation, tears were starting to slide down her cheeks. "I'm her mother, I should be there to protect her, and I'm not."

He stared at her, at a loss for words. Crying women always made him deeply uncomfortable, and he wished with all his might that Tokyo and Nairobi hadn't woken him up. He knew he should say something, but what?

She was crying harder now, wiping away the tears as they fell. "Instead I'm here, and I'm of no use to anyone. Everyone hates me and nobody trusts me and it's just…" Her voice was down to a whisper now. "… I've never felt so alone."

He desperately cast around for something, anything, to comfort her. Then…

"Sergio", he said suddenly. He wasn't sure what made him say it. He only knew that he couldn't stand seeing her hurt like this.

She looked up at him. "What?"

"Sergio", he repeated. "My name is Sergio. I… I trust you. You're not alone."

She stopped crying. "You trust me?"

He nodded. "I do."

"Why? You barely know me."

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just do."

She was quiet for a moment, her eyes on his face with a look he couldn't interpret. "Well… thank you. Sergio."

Hearing her say his name sparked something inside his chest. No one except his brother had called him by his name for years, and it felt very intimate. He quickly stood up.

"I… I should go", he mumbled. "It's late… there's class in the morning… you should sleep."

She nodded, still looking thoughtful. "Yes, we both should sleep."

As he turned around, her voice sounded behind him again.

"Thank you for talking to me."

He didn't turn, just kept walking towards the door as he murmured: "No problem."

She turned off the light. "Goodnight."

At the door, he glanced back at her one more time. "Goodnight."

He walked down the hallway towards his room in a state of utter confusion, a swirling mess of emotions and thoughts inside of him, none of which he could identify, all of which made him uncomfortable. He wondered if he regretted giving her his name, then decided that he didn't. As he got back into bed, one emotion finally gained the upper hand – it wasn't a feeling he was particularly familiar with, so it took him a while, but as he turned onto his side and closed his eyes, he recognized it. He felt strangely happy.


	3. Negotiations

Slowly but surely, the others warmed to Raquel. It started off with Nairobi saying 'good morning' to her one day, and Tokyo asking her for the salt without insulting her. Then one afternoon he saw her talking to Moscow during break, and at dinner that night she exchanged a few words with his brother, and he actually saw her smile. They were small things, but he noticed them all.

After the very personal conversation they had had in her bedroom, he had tried to keep his distance from her for a bit, but he'd been spectacularly unsuccessful. Every break, every mealtime, he just automatically gravitated towards her, unable to refrain from at least saying a few words to her, or asking her opinion about something, anything. And if he didn't go to her, she usually came to him. Somehow, without conscious thought, they always eventually ended up next to each other, like two leaves circling the same drain. He was relieved to find that she didn't act differently towards him now – she wasn't overly familiar, didn't refer back to their conversation and never called him by his name, not even when they were out of earshot of the others. After a few days, he began to relax around her again.

She was showing increasing interest in the plan, which he appreciated deeply. It was becoming a habit for them to stay behind after every class to go through the finer details of the day's lesson together. She said she wanted to study certain parts of the plan more closely, so he gave her some of his files and notes, which she started studying at night.

"I'm glad you're taking this so seriously", he said to her when she came asking for more files.

"Of course I am", she replied. "If I'm going to be in the control room, I need to know the plan as well as you do."

The next morning after class, she came to him with a folder in her hand and a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Have you been able to study those files already?" he asked her.

"Yes", she said. "And I was wondering… can I suggest some improvements?"

His eyebrows shot up. "_Improvements_?"

"Yes, improvements."

"I've been working on this plan for _years_."

"But you're only one person", she said sensibly. "Don't tell me you're so arrogant that you don't think another pair of eyes might notice something you've missed."

He leaned against his desk, curious. "Alright, what do you think I've missed?"

She opened the file. "I've been studying the profiles of the hostages. They're very impressive, by the way. How did you manage to get so much information about the people working at the Mint?"

"Ah", he said, pleased. "I sent in one of my associates as a representative of a worker's union to ask certain people about their working conditions, their bosses and their colleagues. It was very informative."

"Nicely done", she said appreciatively, extracting a page from the file. "Based on that information, I think I've identified a threat to our operation: the director of the Mint, Arturo Román."

He frowned as he took Román's profile from her. "You think he'll cause trouble?"

"I'm almost sure of it."

"Why? I never noticed anything in particular about him."

"Well", she said carefully. "Forgive me for saying this… you have a lot of talents, but people skills isn't one of them."

He grimaced. "Fair enough."

"I'm a trained negotiator, so I've developed something of a sense for this kind of thing." She pointed at the profile. "Look at how his employees describe him: arrogant, cocky, overbearing. That kind of overinflated sense of self-importance could cause trouble. I also think he's having an affair with one of his employees, Mónica Gaztambide."

He frowned. "Why do you think that?"

She tapped a certain paragraph. "One of the women you had interviewed said that they were "quite close". I know what _that _means. That gives him one more reason to play the hero."

He looked up at her. "So what do you propose we do with him?"

"Keep him isolated", she said. "Lock him in a room where he can't do any harm."

He gave her a thoughtful look, then nodded. "Alright, it can't hurt to be cautious. I'll instruct Berlin."

"Good", she said, then she smiled. "I have to say I'm pleased you're taking my suggestion."

"Of course", he said. "You made a keen observation, I'd be a fool to risk not listening to you. The smallest disruption can have a big impact." He gave her an earnest look. "You may have saved someone's life with this."

She seemed pleased but waved away his compliment. "Oh, it probably wouldn't have mattered at all. Anyway, do you have any more files I can look at?"

He gave her a long look. "You're really invested in this, aren't you?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "Of course I am. We all are."

He shook his head. "I don't see any of the others asking me for extra material to study."

"They rely on you", she said. "They trust that you'll tell them what they need to know."

A corner of his mouth quirked up. "And you don't trust me?"

She grinned. "Not in the blind way the others do, no. I like to see certain things for myself. I prefer to go over the details a second or third time, let them really sink in, think about the whats and whys and such."

He looked at her in such a way that she tilted her head and said: "What?"

He quickly looked away and smiled to himself. "Nothing. It's just that… I've been working on this plan for so long. Most of my life, really. It's become more to me than just a plan. It's… my life's work."

She nodded. "It's art."

He gave her a grateful look. "You understand."

She nodded thoughtfully. "It must be a very meaningful experience for you to finally be able to share it with other people now."

He blushed slightly. "It is. But most of the others just listen to it and accept whatever I tell them. They don't think about it critically. They don't engage with it. They don't really appreciate it. Not… not like you."

"I like engaging with it", she said honestly. "It's so well thought-out, so ingenious, so balanced. Beautiful."

He felt a fierce surge of pride at her words, but all he could manage to say was: "Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. Now, do you have any more files for me?"

He handed her a stack of folders, and she thanked him, then said: "Can we talk these through tomorrow?"

"Of course", he said.

His eyes followed her as she left the room. He couldn't wait.

…

A few days later, they were sitting next to each other during lunch, as usual. At the end of the meal, he turned to her.

"I'm giving the others the afternoon off", he said. "I'd like to work one-on-one with you today."

"Okay. What do you want to work on?"

"I would like to practice negotiations. I want you to pretend that you're still part of the police force, and negotiate with me the way you would have done in that situation."

She nodded. "I can do that. I suppose you want constructive feedback?"

"Yes. Anything that will help me get an edge over the negotiator during the operation."

They left the clean-up to the others and went upstairs to the empty classroom. He sat down in the swiveling chair behind his desk, and she drew up a regular chair to sit beside him.

"First things first", he said. "Now that you're fired, who do you think they'll replace you with?"

She thought about it for a moment. "That's tricky. There's nobody who could replace me directly. The person closest to me in rank and function is my colleague Elena González."

He nodded. "That's what I thought. What can you tell me about her?"

"Nothing much, she's a pretty normal person. About 35, married, two kids, capable policewoman. I like her. She keeps a level head."

He was taking notes. "How likely do you think it is that they'll bring in Alicia Sierra?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You better _pray _they don't feel the need to bring in Alicia."

"Why?"

"Because Alicia is a battering ram. They'll only bring her in if they no longer care about consequences, in which case your goal of getting in and out without anyone getting hurt will become a lot more unlikely."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Let's not push too hard then, so they don't feel the need to use her."

"That would be best."

"What about your partner, sub-inspector Rubio?"

"Ángel? What about him?"

"Do you think they'll promote him now you're gone?"

She considered this. "Maybe. Personally, I wouldn't put him in charge of a critical situation like the one we're planning to cause, but he's been on the force for a long time and my superiors might choose to give him a chance."

"So he might be our negotiator."

"He might."

He gave her a calculating look. "Would that make things harder for you?"

She hesitated. "Honestly, yes, a little. Ángel and I are good friends, I hope we don't have to go up against him."

He was taking notes again. "Is there anything you can tell me about him that we might use to our advantage? Were you close?"

She hesitated. "Well, yes, quite close."

He looked up. "Um… I've recently learned what 'quite close' means…"

She colored slightly, so he asked: "Were you…?"

She frowned. "I don't want to tell you things about Ángel. It feels like a betrayal."

"But it's information that might help us during negotiations, yes?"

She sighed. "Yes."

He put down his pen and gazed at her steadily. "Look, Lisbon, I don't like asking you this. I don't want you to feel like you're betraying a friend. But every little scrap of information I have can be the difference between successful and failed negotiations. Between a successful and a failed operation. And if we fail…"

She nodded. "I don't get Paula back. Yes, I understand." She took a deep breath. "Well, it's not like this is the best-kept secret of the force anyway. Ángel is in love with me."

His eyebrows went up. "Are you sure about that?"

"Very sure. He's been in love with me for years."

"That is extremely useful to know. We can certainly use it to our advantage. Were you having an affair?"

"No", she said, but something in her voice made him look at her more closely.

"But you slept together?"

She gave him a disgruntled look. "I don't see how this is any of your business."

"The more information I have, the more I can use against him. Did you sleep together?"

"Once", she admitted reluctantly.

"Was it good?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I can't imagine how that's relevant for your negotiations."

"I need to know what kind of emotions are attached to this encounter. Was it good?"

She shrugged. "It was okay."

"Just okay?"

"For me, yes."

"I'm more interested in his point of view. Was it good for him?"

She'd clearly had enough. She raised her chin and looked him straight in the eye. "Buddy, if I sleep with a guy, you can bet it's going to be good for him."

He felt himself go red. "Oh, I… I didn't want to imply that…"

"… that I'm bad in bed?"

"Well, yes, I mean, no, I would never think that."

"So this is something you've been thinking about?"

Was the room getting hotter? "I… no, I didn't…"

She raised a suggestive eyebrow. "Do you want to give it a go?"

He was blushing furiously now. "I… well… I… no…"

She kept a straight face for a few more seconds as she watched him squirm, then she grinned broadly. "I didn't think so."

He relaxed as he realized that she was only teasing him, then tensed again as she leaned closer to him for a moment.

"Next time, don't ask me questions you can't handle the answer to."

She pushed against his chair so it swiveled halfway around. "Alright, let's practice some negotiations, shall we?"

"Yes", he said, slowly turning his chair back, still red in the face. "I think that's a good idea."

He reached into the cupboard under the desk and took out several thick binders full of papers. She raised her eyebrows.

"What are those?"

"My notes on the negotiations."

She let out a low whistle. "You've been preparing rather thoroughly."

"These negotiations are very important. I want to be prepared for every eventuality."

"But… you can't possibly prepare for _every _eventuality. You're talking to a human being, you can't know exactly what they're going to say."

"There are assumptions you can make about where the conversation is going, though. Police negotiators have their scripts. I made one of my own."

She gave him a thoughtful look. "You really need to feel like you're in control of the situation, don't you?"

He shot her an annoyed look back. "Of course I need to be in control of the situation. If there comes a point where I'm _not _in control of the situation, we're in trouble." Then he sighed and relented. "But yes, fine, I don't feel particularly comfortable with unscripted conversations, especially if they're important. And these are extremely important."

She gave him a curious look. "Do you script conversations in daily life, too?"

"Not on paper", he said, then admitted reluctantly: "but yes, I sometimes rehearse conversations in my head."

"Have you ever rehearsed a conversation you've had with me?"

"I've tried", he grumbled. "But it's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because you're too unpredictable. I never know what you're going to say."

She smiled. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay", he said. "It keeps me on my toes. Now let's get started."

They set up their chairs so they were facing away from each other.

"Okay", he said. "Let's say we've taken over the Mint, the police have set up their center of operations, and this is the first phone call I make to, presumably, Inspectora González. Are you ready?"

"Yes", she said.

"Good." He took a deep breath, then said: "Inspectora, what are you wearing?"

She turned around in her chair in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? _That's _how you want to open negotiations?"

He turned around too. "Yes."

"And what if it's Ángel on the other end of the line?"

He grinned. "Then I'll let _you _ask the question."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Very funny. But seriously, why the fuck would you start by asking Elena what she's wearing?"

"It's unexpected", he explained. "It's personal and a little sexual. It will unbalance her right from the start, allowing me to set the tone for the conversation."

She looked at him in disgust. "You're only asking her that because she's a woman."

He nodded. "Yes."

Her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait – you were going to ask _me _that!"

He nodded again, a little more reluctantly. "Yes."

"What else were you going to ask me?"

He hesitated. "Um… maybe it doesn't matter."

"I'm going to be in the control room with you", she reminded him. "I'm going to hear it anyway. What other inappropriate questions are you going to spring on my unsuspecting colleague?"

He cleared his throat and checked his notes. "Well… keep in mind that these will be sprinkled through the conversation, spread out over several days. So, um… 'Tell me about your first time', 'Are you the kind of woman who would sleep with a man and then sneak out in the middle of the night?', 'Have you ever faked an orgasm?'…"

He looked up at her tentatively to see how she was taking these. She gave him an unimpressed look, then said drily:

"You're a pig."

He ran an embarrassed hand through his hair. "Look, I know it's crude, but I need to unbalance her somehow and these are better than the alternative."

"What's the alternative?"

He sighed. "Vague threats. Like letting her know that I know what school her kids go to, that sort of thing."

"That's disgusting."

"I agree. That's why I prefer these, they're much more elegant."

"What if she just gets annoyed and angry?"

"That's fine, it will mean that she's not thinking straight. It will still help me get the upper hand."

"But you already _have _the upper hand. No matter what happens, you're so much smarter than anyone you could get on the other end of that line."

"That wouldn't have been true if it had been you", he said without thinking.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Flattery won't get you back in my good books."

"I wasn't…" He suddenly stopped, pushed his glasses back up his nose and completely changed his tone. "Look. This isn't a negotiation. I've thought this through, I've decided on a strategy and I've been working on this strategy for months. I'm not changing it now because it offends your sensibilities."

She gave him a long look, then nodded. "Fine."

"Unless you think these questions won't work", he said. "In that case I'm open to suggestions for improvements."

"Oh, no", she said drily. "If your goal is to annoy your negotiator, these will _definitely_ work."

He looked at her. "You're annoyed at me too."

"That's a very astute observation."

"Why?"

"Because you're a sexist asshole who's going to embarrass my colleague in front of all her coworkers."

"Ex-colleague", he said softly. "Ex-coworkers."

She sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair. "Yes, of course, you're right. I shouldn't care anymore. In fact, I should be happy that you have a good strategy worked out."

He gave her some time to collect her thoughts, then he saw her mentally shake herself.

"Alright", she said, sitting up straight again. "Let's do this. Ask me what I'm wearing."

…

That evening, she didn't sit down next to him at dinner, and she didn't say a word to anyone during the meal, eating with a rather subdued expression on her face. After the plates were cleared, she got up and walked out of the room. He hurried after her and caught her at the foot of the stairs.

"Can I talk to you in private for a moment?"

"Sure." She glanced up the stairs. "In my bedroom?"

He took a step back. "Um… it doesn't need to be _that _private."

She threw him an impatient look. "Where, then?"

"The classroom?"

"Fine."

They went up to the classroom together, and she leaned against the desk, facing him.

"So?"

He hesitated. "Are you still mad at me?"

She shook her head. "I'm not mad. I've just had to make a difficult mental adjustment and I don't like it."

He nodded. "I understand. You'd rather still be with the police force if you had the choice."

"Yes", she said honestly. "I would. Then I'd be home right now, cooking dinner with my mother, putting my daughter to bed. Instead I'm here."

"Well", he said carefully, "I know this doesn't make up for all that you're missing, but I have something for you."

She looked up at him in surprise. "You do?"

He took an envelope out of his pocket and gave it to her. She opened it, curious, then gasped as she took out several photos of Paula at the playground. She went through them slowly, her eyes big.

"How did you get these?" she whispered.

"You said you were worried about her", he explained. "So I sent someone to check on her. She seems to be alright, both emotionally and physically. As far as we could determine, your ex-husband and sister are taking good care of her, and your mother keeps an eye on all of them."

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the pictures, drinking in the familiar face of her daughter.

"Can I keep these?"

"Of course", he said.

He waited a few more moments, then decided to give her some privacy. He started to leave, but as he passed her, she put her hand on his arm and looked up at him. There were tears in her eyes.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Sergio."

He was so aware of her hand on his sleeve that his mind totally blanked on a response. He stammered out some incoherent syllables for a moment, then cleared his throat and pulled himself together. "You're welcome."

She withdrew her hand and turned back to the pictures. He kept looking at her for several more seconds before he remembered that he was leaving. As he walked out the door, he felt a little dizzy, and he vaguely wondered why. His skin was still tingling where she had touched him.


	4. Trapped

They took turns preparing the meals. One day around noon, Tokyo and Nairobi were in the kitchen, and Raquel was out on a walk, so only the men were gathered around the table waiting for lunch. Sergio was reading, only half paying attention to the conversation of the others.

"I hope the food turns out better than last time", Berlin said. "Those two are terrible cooks."

Rio laughed. "Who cares if they can cook when they look like that?"

There was a general murmur of agreement around the table, and Denver grinned, nudging Rio.

"Which one do you prefer?"

"Tokyo", Rio said immediately. "She is _so _hot."

"But totally crazy", Moscow shook his head.

"Oh come on papa", Denver said. "What does that matter? Have you seen her body? She's smoking."

Sergio frowned and bent deeper over his book.

"Though I wouldn't say no to Nairobi either", Denver continued.

"Yes", Rio nodded. "They're both hot." He turned to the Serbians. "What do you fellows think?"

Oslo and Helsinki merely shrugged.

"What about you, Berlin?" Denver asked. "Which one would you prefer?"

Berlin shook his head. "Neither of them."

"What?" Rio said. "Really?"

"Tokyo and Nairobi are both attractive, but they're girls. Give me a real woman over them any day."

Sergio looked up. "Please don't."

"Oh", Denver laughed. "You don't mean…?"

Berlin nodded. "I think Lisbon has a lot more to offer than Tokyo or Nairobi."

Moscow nodded thoughtfully, but Denver and Rio protested loudly.

"You're crazy!" Denver said.

"How could you prefer her over a bombshell like Tokyo?" Rio asked.

"Tokyo is hot", Berlin conceded, "but she'll burn you. I much prefer a steady fire in a woman. And if anyone's got a steady fire, it's the Inspector."

"Please don't", Sergio repeated, a little louder, but no one was paying him any attention.

"I suppose she does look good for her age", Rio mused.

"Yeah", Denver said. "She has a nice pair of…"

"Stop it", Sergio said, so forcefully that everyone looked at him. His heart was beating fast. "These women are members of our team and you should treat them with respect."

"Come on Professor", Denver grinned. "You're a man."

"We're just having a bit of innocent fun", Rio added disarmingly.

"Reducing people to body parts isn't innocent _or _fun", Sergio said quietly.

An awkward silence fell. Berlin finally broke it.

"The Professor is right", he said. "Let's not discuss our colleagues in this way."

Moscow nodded. "Personal relationships aren't allowed anyway. Let's talk about something else."

The conversation turned to more innocent things, and Sergio bent back over his book, relieved. He didn't see the thoughtful look Berlin shot his way.

…

That evening, the weather was so nice that they stayed sitting outside for a long time after dinner. After a while, the general conversation broke up into smaller groups: the Serbians had their heads together; Moscow was talking to Denver; and Tokyo, Nairobi and Rio were laughing while they passed around a bottle of wine. Sergio was pleased to see that his brother sat down next to Raquel and struck up a conversation, and he was even more pleased that she didn't get up and walk away. He returned to the book he was reading with a pleasant sense that the group was beginning to accept her, and that she was starting to feel more comfortable around them, too.

After a while, though, he noticed that he couldn't keep his mind on his book. His eyes kept getting drawn to Raquel and his brother, who, he suddenly realized, were sitting rather close together and who seemed to be having a great time. He told himself that he was glad that she was smiling, but when she burst out laughing, he felt a sudden stab of a feeling he couldn't identify, and it made him uncomfortable. Then his brother, smiling broadly, put a hand on her arm for just a moment and, alarmed, his mind went back to the conversation around the table at lunchtime. _I much prefer a steady fire in a woman_. God help him, please no.

He loved his brother, but he'd seen him go through woman after woman, and the thought of Raquel being the next on that list made his blood run cold. He heaved a deep sigh of relief when she got up after a while and went to bed, waving at him in passing. Finally, he checked his watch and loudly told the group that it was time to go to sleep. They grumbled at him but got up anyway, collecting the glasses and plates off the table to take them into the kitchen. Berlin lingered in the kitchen to get a glass of water while the others traipsed out, talking and laughing. Sergio stayed behind with him, waiting until the door closed behind Oslo before turning to his brother.

"Andrés."

Berlin looked up in surprise. "I thought we said we wouldn't use first names while we were here?"

"I know, but I need to talk to you about something personal."

"Alright", Berlin said, leaning against the kitchen counter with a serious expression. "What's wrong?"

He hesitated, then blurted out: "Please don't sleep with Lisbon."

His brother's eyebrows went up. "Why do you think I want to sleep with her?"

"Because of what you said at lunch. That she has a… steady fire."

Berlin grinned. "I'm sure she does."

Sergio raised a hand. "See, there, that! Please don't!"

His brother gave him a calculating look. "Why does this bother you?"

"I don't want her to get hurt."

"Why do you assume I'd hurt her?"

"Because you and women, Andrés, it never ends well. And she's been through so much. She's lost her marriage, her job, her daughter, her home." He shook his head, then continued softly: "Don't put her through another heartbreak."

Berlin was still eyeing him closely. "Why do you care?"

"Because… because she's a member of our team and I don't want her distracted by emotional issues. She needs to be focused only on the heist."

His brother raised an eyebrow. "Like you?"

"Yes, like me. I don't allow myself to be distracted by anything."

"No", Berlin said smoothly. "I see that."

"Just promise me you won't sleep with her. Or even try to sleep with her."

His brother drew himself up. "You told us at the beginning that we are not supposed to have personal relationships. I take your words very seriously. I may look at a colleague in appreciation, but I would never break your rules."

Sergio felt himself relax. He knew his brother would keep to his word. "Thank you."

"Can I still talk to her?" Berlin grinned.

"Of course", Sergio said, confused. "She's part of the group, I want her to feel included."

"Yes", his brother said thoughtfully, "I'm sure you do." He pushed himself away from the kitchen counter and passed Sergio on the way to the door. "Well, I'm going to bed. I'd wish you sweet dreams, little brother, but…" He grinned. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Sergio was left alone in the kitchen, staring after his brother and wondering what the hell he had meant by _that_.

…

The next day was particularly warm and sunny, and early during the afternoon's class, Sergio noticed that everyone's attention was drifting as the temperature rose and people started throwing longing looks out of the windows. He decided to end the lesson early and send them outside. They smiled and thanked him as they filed past him out the door. Raquel was the last in the line, and she stopped by his desk.

"This must be killing you, having to end your lesson early."

He sighed. "I don't like it, no, but they just weren't paying attention anymore, and I can't afford to have them uninformed about this part of the plan. Better to lose some time now and work a little harder tomorrow morning when it's cool."

"You don't have to completely waste this time, if you want. I could stay here and we could practice negotiating some more."

He shot her a grateful look. "You would do that?"

She shrugged. "What would I do with that extra free time – bond with Tokyo?"

He grinned. "Alright, let me get my notes."

They practiced for about an hour, serious negotiations mixed with less serious banter, interrupted every now and again as she gave him feedback on how he could improve his strategy. They were well-matched as negotiators, and he was enjoying himself immensely, feeling rather disappointed when she suggested a break and went down to get them something to drink. They both sipped their water in silence as she leaned back in her chair and idly looked up at the ceiling.

"Hey", she said. "There's a trapdoor up there. Where does it lead?"

He looked up too. "I don't know."

She turned shining eyes on him. "Do you want to find out?"

"Not particularly."

"Come on, where's your sense for adventure?"

He gave her a dry look. "I'm currently channeling all of it into this _enormous heist _we're planning."

"Well, I want to know what's up there."

"It's probably just a dusty attic."

"But who knows what treasures we could find there? I'm going to look for a ladder."

It only took her ten minutes before she was back, carrying a rusty stepladder, which she placed underneath the trapdoor. He eyed her apprehensively as she started climbing.

"Please be careful. I can't take you to the hospital if you fall and break a leg."

She merely nodded as she reached the ceiling and lifted her hands, pushing experimentally against the trapdoor. To her delight, it opened inwards without too much effort, and she ascended a few more steps on the ladder until it was open completely. The ladder wasn't quite high enough, so she had to heave herself up through the hole and into the attic. A moment later, her voice drifted down to him.

"Professor, this is amazing, come and see!"

He hesitated only a moment, then his curiosity won out and he carefully ascended the ladder, too. When he heaved himself up into the attic, he noticed immediately that there was very little space – almost all of the floor was taken up with furniture, boxes and chests. There were only a few inches of open space around the trapdoor, and he carefully got to his feet, edging around the hole in the floor to a spot where there was a little more room.

"I can't _believe _all of this stuff is up here", she said wonderingly. "Isn't it fantastic?"

He had to admit that it was quite a collection. There were large oak wardrobes, moth-eaten chairs, heavy wooden chests, an old rocking horse, and boxes upon boxes filled with yellowed paper and black-and-white photographs. He took half a step back to take it all in, and accidentally bumped against the raised lid of the trapdoor, which swung shut with a loud 'bang', making her jump.

"I'm sorry", he said quickly, then bent down to open it again. "Uh oh."

"What?"

"I think there must have been a ring attached to this trapdoor at some point, but it must have broken off. There's no way to lift it now."

"What do you mean there's no way to lift it?" she said, alarmed.

"I mean I can't get it open again", he said, straightening up and looking at her in dismay.

She bent down and tried to get her fingers around the edges, but there wasn't enough space to really get a grip. After a few minutes of fidgeting, she looked up at him with big eyes.

"Fuck. What do we do now? Shout for help?"

He shook his head. "They're all outside, nobody will hear us."

"Can we shout through a window?" she asked, looking around, but the two small windows were set up high in the roof, inaccessible. She laughed in disbelief.

"Well this is a nice situation! What the hell do we do?"

He shrugged and sat down on the floor. "Nothing we can do but wait until they'll come looking for us, I'm afraid."

She gave him a look of horror. "But that could be hours! They probably won't notice we're missing until dinner!"

He nodded. "Yes, probably."

She sat down heavily on the floor next to him and shot him an annoyed look. "You _had _to bump into the trapdoor, did you?"

"Hey!" he said indignantly. "It wasn't _my _idea to come up here, you know!"

"Alright", she said soothingly. "Let's not fight, we're going to be stuck here for a while."

He loosened his tie. "It's really warm up here."

"Yes", she agreed, "it really is."

His eyes widened as she began unbuttoning her shirt. She was wearing a black top underneath, hemmed with a lacy fabric and showing rather a lot of cleavage. He quickly averted his gaze and subtly shifted away from her as she shrugged out of the shirt. She noticed, however, and raised her eyebrows.

"Are you always this uncomfortable around women?"

He kept looking at the floor. "In general? Yes."

"Why?"

"I just… haven't been around them much."

"What about girlfriends?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Oh. Boyfriends then?"

He quickly looked up. "No, I'm not gay."

"Alright." She hesitated, then delicately asked: "So you _have_ had… experience with women?"

He shot her an annoyed look. "Why are you women all so obsessed with the status of my sexual experience? You're the second person this week to ask me if I'm a virgin."

That surprised her. "Who else asked you?"

"Tokyo."

She gave him a look of disgust. "_Please _tell me you didn't sleep with Tokyo."

He stared at her. "Of course not."

"Are you _going _to sleep with Tokyo?"

"No!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! First rule of this heist: no personal relationships."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Does that mean that you _would _sleep with her if the situation was different?"

He gave her a look. "Why do you care?"

She drew herself up. "I don't", she said with dignity.

"Doesn't sound like it."

She gave him a look of supreme indifference. "Seriously, sleep with whoever you want."

An awkward silence fell. She kept shooting him looks, however, and he felt like she wasn't done with the subject yet. And sure enough…

"So what's the answer?" she asked.

"To what?"

"Are you a virgin?"

"No!" he said, exasperated. "Why would you assume that?"

She smiled. "You just seem so innocent."

He shot her a dark look. "I resent that. I am _not _innocent."

"Says the man who started sweating just because I took off my shirt."

"It's hot in here", he said defensively.

"Not _that _hot", she grinned.

He sighed. "Look, I'll tell you what I told Tokyo. I've had relationships in the past, just… not very many and they never lasted very long."

"Nobody you'd call a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "I've just never met someone who was really interesting to me."

She considered this for a moment, then asked: "And what about sex?"

"What about it?"

"Don't you mind having to live without it?"

He shook his head. "Honestly, I've never understood how other people just… do it. Sex is very… intense and… and very personal, and I've never met someone I liked enough to actually wantto do it with. I mean, I _have _done it!" he clarified quickly. "I just didn't like it much."

She nodded thoughtfully, then said: "Do you think it might be different with someone you were in love with?"

"Maybe", he said stiffly. "I wouldn't know."

He was relieved when she didn't push the matter further. Instead, she asked:

"So you don't want to sleep with Tokyo?"

"No."

She nodded, satisfied. "Good."

He gave her a calculating look, then asked: "Do _you _want to sleep with Berlin?"

She looked surprised. "What? No, of course not!"

"Why not?" he pressed. "Women usually like him. He's handsome."

"Yes", she nodded, "He's very handsome, and funny, and charming, and also a _complete and utter sociopath_. You think I want to sleep with a man like that?"

He considered her for a moment. "Most women don't see that about him. At least, not straight away."

"I'm a negotiator", she reminded him. "I know men like him."

The last of his anxiety about her and his brother disappeared, and he felt some of the tension in his shoulders dissolve.

She was eyeing him closely. "Why do _you _care?"

"First rule", he said quickly. "No personal relationships among members of the team."

"Yes", she said softly, and there was something in her eyes he couldn't interpret. "That's a very important rule."

They looked at each other for a long moment, then he cleared his throat and looked away.

"Well… since we're going to be here for a while, why don't we take a look at some of these boxes? We might find something interesting."

"Yes", she said. "Good idea."

They each turned around and pulled up a box of papers, which they started to sift through. Every once in a while, they showed each other interesting photographs or notes they found. Finally, he noticed that she hadn't said anything for several minutes and was staring intently at a yellowed piece of paper with flourishing handwriting on it.

"Look at this", she said, and he shifted closer to see.

"What is it?"

"A love letter", she said. "Look at this line, it's lovely." She put a finger on the letter, then read out loud: "The sun has set twenty-four times since I last saw you, my darling, and it will have to rise twice as often before I can set eyes on you again. But then our life together can begin, and we will never be apart again, but eternally happy in a perfect union of souls."

"That's a nice way to look at marriage", he said.

She smiled. "Young love, so hopeful, so optimistic."

"When was it dated?" he asked.

She looked at the top of the letter. "September 25th, 1901." She looked up at him with shining eyes. "That's amazing! This letter is more than a hundred years old!"

He nodded. "It's strange to think that the person who wrote it is long gone now."

"But a bit of his love is preserved forever in this letter", she said, smiling down at it.

He looked at her. Over the past few weeks, she'd always been so tough, so strong, and he admired her for that, but now he was seeing a glimpse of something else, something softer. He wondered what it would be like to have her look at _him _with that look in her eyes. The next moment, she looked up and their eyes met. The words she had been about to say died on her lips as they kept staring at each other for several long moments, unable to look away. She was so close. His heart was beating frantically against his ribs. Then the trapdoor creaked open and Rio's head appeared.

"There you are!" he exclaimed.

Sergio hastily scooted away from Raquel, but Rio's face had already split into a big grin.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your cozy "practice session", I just wanted to let you know that dinner is ready."

He moved to go down the ladder again, letting the trapdoor close behind him, and they both shouted: "No!" at the same time.

"It doesn't open from this side", Sergio explained to a surprised Rio. "We were trapped here for hours."

"Sounds terrible", Rio winked at him.

"Yes, well, it could have been worse", he murmured as he pulled the trapdoor fully open again and lowered himself down the hole onto the ladder after Rio. He looked up. She was looking at the letter again. "Are you coming?"

"Yes", she said, then she glanced at him. "Do you think I could keep this?"

"Why not", he shrugged. "It's not like anyone's going to miss it. But why do you want to keep it?"

She hesitated. "I'm not sure. It's just… I don't want it to molder away to nothing in this dusty attic. Besides", she said, folding the letter and putting it in her back pocket. "It's a nice reminder."

"Of what?" he asked.

"That love exists."

And with those words, she came down the ladder after him, closing the trapdoor on the attic and its contents.


	5. Anatomy

He was having trouble sleeping. For several nights now, he had lain awake in bed, staring up at the ceiling for hours on end or turning from one side to the other, trying to get comfortable. He had tried every breathing exercise he knew, every meditation technique, but his mind simply refused to quiet down enough for him to fall asleep. Then when he did sleep, he would wake up in the early hours of the morning, his body humming with a weird kind of energy he usually only experienced in the early stages when a new idea was forming in his brain. He had no idea what was causing it now. The only reason he could think of was the heist – even though it was still months away, he must be getting nervous for it already and it was keeping him awake.

Today, however, the week's lack of sleep had caught up with him and he had slept right through the alarm on his phone. When he woke up and sleepily squinted at his watch, he was alarmed to see that it was already breakfast time. He hastily got out of bed, his mind still fuzzy with tiredness, and started to dress. He didn't like being late for breakfast – he was the leader of the group, he should set the example. Without looking in the mirror, he hurried to the door and walked out, only to bump straight into Raquel, who was standing in front of his door with her hand raised, about to knock. Startled, he took several paces back, but she just smiled.

"Ah, there you are. I was just coming to get you."

"I overslept."

"So I figured. It's not like you to be late for breakfast."

"I didn't hear my alarm."

"It happens."

She gave him a funny look, and he frowned.

"What?"

"You dressed a bit too hastily, I think. Here, let me fix you up."

Before he knew what was happening, she had reached out her hands and was undoing his tie, and the last fuzziness of sleep left his brain as he was suddenly wide awake. He knew he should push her hands away – he could knot his own tie – but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. His tie was undone now and she was fixing his collar. For a fleeting instant, her fingers brushed against the skin of his neck, and he felt a shiver go down his spine.

She nodded. "It's a bit chilly this morning."

Yes, he thought. That must be it. She was knotting his tie now, and he looked down at her face as she focused on her task. He wondered how he'd never really noticed before how beautiful she was.

"There", she said. "That's better."

She looked up at him and caught him staring at her. He knew he should look away but he couldn't, and for a moment their eyes locked. Then her face broke into a big smile.

"What?" she asked him.

He quickly looked at the ground. "Nothing."

"Why were you looking at me like that?"

"You were standing right in front of me", he murmured. "Where was I supposed to look?"

"Well, now that you're presentable, let's go have breakfast before it's all gone. I've never seen anyone eat as much as those Serbians."

As he followed her down the stairs, he felt a little dizzy – undoubtedly his blood sugar was low because he hadn't breakfasted yet. But when they entered the dining room and he sat down behind a steaming plate of eggs and bacon, he could only stare at it, and he realized that he didn't really want to eat. He worriedly wondered if he was getting sick.

After breakfast, they all trooped up to the classroom. He got up in front of them and took a deep breath as he felt himself slip back into the confident, focused state he always experienced when teaching.

"Good morning", he said. "Today we'll have an anatomy lesson."

There were a few grins and giggles.

"Well, Professor", Tokyo said, leaning forward in her chair. "Maybe _you _need an anatomy lesson, but _I _know where everything is."

"I don't know", Denver laughed. "It's been so long for me I think I've forgotten a few things."

"If anyone needs to learn, it's the kid here", Nairobi teased, nodding her head at Rio. "I think he's old enough for someone to have 'the talk' with him. You want to do it, Professor?"

He ignored their jokes. "We're going to learn about the major blood vessels in the body. Please gather around the desk."

They all got up.

"Too bad, Rio", Nairobi said. "Blood vessels. You'll have to learn about the birds and the bees another day."

Rio merely grinned. "Maybe you can teach me someday in a private session."

Everybody laughed, but Sergio remained serious.

"Alright", he said. "I need a model."

They all looked at him.

"Can't we learn from a picture or something?" Moscow asked.

Sergio shook his head. "It's much better to learn directly on the body." He held up a marker. "I need a model."

They all looked at each other. There was still an early morning chill in the room, and none of them were particularly eager to take off their clothes.

"Come on", Sergio urged them impatiently. "Everybody will need to practice, so you will all need to take a turn. Who will go first?"

There was an awkward silence, then Raquel sighed and stepped forward.

"Fine, I'll do it."

He immediately felt his calm desert him.

"Oh", he blurted out. "I didn't mean…"

She looked at him. "You didn't mean what?"

He couldn't see a way out of this. "Nothing. Uhm…" He could feel himself going red. "You'll… you'll need to take off your top."

"So I assumed", she said, shrugging out of her shirt, then grabbing hold of the hem of the top she was wearing underneath. He quickly averted his eyes as she pulled it over her head, but as she hopped onto the desk and lay down, he had no other choice than to look at her. He wasn't entirely sure why this made him feel so deeply uncomfortable – he had the vague sense that it wouldn't have been nearly so bad with any of the others, but he couldn't imagine why. He only knew that he felt like he was invading her privacy, and he didn't like that at all.

She looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

He took a breath and focused. "Alright", he said briskly. "Please pay close attention."

Carefully avoiding her eyes, he looked down at her bare stomach and put the tip of the marker against her skin right above the waistband of her pants. He noticed that she had slight stretch marks on her lower abdomen, and it distracted him for a moment to the point where he couldn't remember what vein he was supposed to be showing them. Several long, awkward seconds passed before he suddenly recalled the right name and he began drawing a thick, purple line up her stomach.

"Iliac artery", he said. He drew two lines left and right. "Renal arteries, left and right."

He let his marker move further upwards, and he couldn't help but notice that the black bra she was wearing had a little lace around the edges. His voice was a bit strained as he struggled to keep his focus.

"Gastric artery."

He had to lift the marker for a moment to move over her bra, then put it down again between her breasts and continued drawing, his hand shaking ever so slightly.

"Pulmonary arteries, left and right."

For the next part, he had to move his marker over the slight curve of her left breast.

"The heart", he whispered, drawing a circle. He cleared his throat and found his voice again as he drew two lines under her collar bones.

"Left subclavian. Right subclavian."

He drew a long line over her shoulder down her arm, and he wondered for a moment how soft she would be to touch.

"Brachial."

He moved his marker back up to the delicate skin of her throat.

"Internal jugular", he said, then more softly: "Please turn your head."

She did so, and he drew another line up her neck. "External jugular."

He was starting to feel a little dizzy again as he took up the red marker now. "In red, the most important arteries."

"Wait a minute", Denver said, and he was abruptly aware of the presence of the others again. "You want us to learn medicine like this, with some stupid markers?"

He looked up and needed a moment to gather his thoughts. "Yes. If one of you gets hit, you can't go to the hospital. You'll have to take care of it yourselves."

He looked down again and started tracing her arteries in red. Her skin was so thin underneath her collar bones that he could actually see the faintest blue outline of her veins. It felt strangely intimate. To his annoyance, though, Denver wasn't done complaining.

"This is suicide."

Moscow tried to shut him up, but he continued: "Being trapped is one thing, but dying is another."

To Sergio's relief, his brother intervened.

"Denver. You only need to know how to remove a bullet."

"Yeah", Nairobi supplied. "It's not difficult. Just grab the tweezers, pull out the bullet and don't fuck it up."

"Oh, just like that?" Denver said. "No way. If I get shot, take me to the hospital."

Sergio didn't look up from where he was tracing a line down Raquel's other arm. "The answer is no."

To his surprise, Tokyo agreed with him. "I'd rather lose a leg and be free, than be healthy in jail."

With difficulty, he tore his eyes away from her skin, annoyed that he had to interrupt his task, but knowing that he needed to intervene. "Nobody leaves. You are a team. If anyone wants to get out, now would be the time to say so. Otherwise, you'll stay for as long as the heist lasts."

He looked at Denver, who shook his head and looked away.

"Alright", Raquel said, looking up at him. "Are you done? I'm getting cold."

He looked down at her and noticed that she was covered in goosebumps.

"Of course", he said quickly, taking a step back as she sat up. He handed her her clothes without looking, and she got off the desk. "Next. Come on. Rio?"

Rio stepped forward. "Sure."

He handed the marker to Tokyo. "Show me what you've learned."

As Tokyo drew lines down Rio's body, he felt himself relax again, but he still avoided looking at Raquel. One by one, they took a turn with the marker and a turn on the table. After the class was over, there was a discussion over whose turn it was to prepare lunch, then Denver and Rio reluctantly left for the kitchen. As the rest of them went outside to wait for the food, Sergio noticed that Nairobi went up to Raquel and started talking to her. A few minutes later, the two women left together to take a walk. He smiled. If Nairobi warmed towards Raquel, the others wouldn't be far behind.

…

That evening, Raquel went up to her room right after dinner. She felt like she needed some time to think. The conversation she had had with Nairobi that afternoon kept playing through her head, and she could use some peace and quiet to really process it.

"_So you have kid?" Nairobi asked, once they were out of earshot of the others._

_Raquel looked up, startled. "What?"_

"_Stretch marks", Nairobi clarified. "On your stomach."_

"_Oh. Yes, fine, I have a kid. So what?"_

"_Calm down, you don't have to get so defensive. Look, I understand why you haven't told anyone."_

"_How could you possibly understand?"_

"_Because I have a kid too."_

Raquel had to admit she'd been surprised by that admission. Nairobi – fun-loving, badass Nairobi, quick with a joke and quick to anger, hadn't struck her as particularly maternal. But as they walked along together in the bright sunshine, a shadow had fallen over Nairobi's face that Raquel only recognized too well. It was the same darkness she felt when she thought about Paula. Nairobi didn't just have a kid – she'd lost one, too.

Seeing her own pain mirrored in the face of the other woman had loosened something inside Raquel. She'd talked about Paula to Sergio, and he'd been sympathetic and kind, but he couldn't _really _understand what it was like. Nairobi could. So Raquel told her everything.

"_Bastard", Nairobi spat out once Raquel was done talking. "If someone did that to me, they wouldn't just have to convict me for drug possession, it would have been a fucking murder charge."_

_Raquel smiled. It was nice to feel like someone from the team was on her side for once. _

"_I get why you're here now", Nairobi said. "You want to take the money we'll earn, grab your girl and get out of this shitty country."_

"_Yes", Raquel nodded. _

"_Well, good for you." There was a short pause, then Nairobi said: "I'm sorry for not trusting you before."_

"_It's alright. Why should you?"_

"_But if you're here to get your kid back, I know you won't screw us over. So I'd like to start over."_

_She stopped and held out her hand. Raquel hesitated for a moment, then shook it._

_Nairobi smiled. "Welcome to the team."_

"_Thank you. Please don't tell the others though."_

"_I won't tell them about your daughter, but I will tell them to lay off you. I'll tell them you're okay. You're one of us now."_

Raquel still felt a confusing mix of emotions about those words. _You're one of us now._ Was that a good thing? That she belonged to a group like them, a group of criminals – people she'd been fighting her entire adult life, that she'd been fighting only a few months ago? Logically speaking, she couldn't deny that she was a criminal too, now. Even if she'd done nothing illegal yet, just being here and not reporting these people to the police made her complicit. Yet when it came to her feelings, she hadn't made that shift yet, of thinking of herself as anything other than a cop.

And yet… "You're one of us now"had also made her feel good. She'd never felt so lonely in her life as she had over the past few weeks. If Sergio hadn't been so kind to her, she wasn't sure if she could have born it. Criminals or cops – at the end of the day, they were all people, and watching the others talk and laugh and form friendships while she watched from the outside had been difficult for her. Like any other person, she just wanted to belong – especially now that she was so completely unmoored from everything she had held dear before, adrift in a life where she no longer belonged anywhere or to anyone, acceptance into a tight-knit group like this one seemed very attractive. A new place of belonging. A new home – at least for a little while. She hated herself for it, but she wanted it desperately.

Moreover, while the others hadn't gotten to know _her _over the past few weeks, she had gotten to know _them_. She'd listened to them talk, she'd watched them joke and grow closer. They were no longer nameless criminals to her, but people. Rio wasn't just a hacker, but a gentle kid with a sweet temper. Moscow was kind and thoughtful. Denver had a good heart, she was sure of it. And Sergio… Well, Sergio was… She shook her head. She couldn't think about him right now.

And then there was Nairobi, opening up to her, telling her the story of how she'd lost her son. Raquel had wisely held her tongue, but that afternoon, she'd privately thought that it was only right that Nairobi should have lost custody over her child. What mother would leave a toddler alone like that, even for five minutes? But now that she'd had some time to think about it, she felt guilty about her initial reaction. Who was she to judge Nairobi? When she'd been a respectable middle class mother with a steady job, it had been easy to look down on people who sold drugs on the street – why didn't they just get a job, like the rest of them? Crime was a choice, wasn't it? An easy way out? And yet here she was, a fugitive, about to become a thief, a robber, a hostage-taker. She rubbed her hands over her face. She wasn't in a position to judge anyone anymore – not now she'd experienced first-hand how life could knock you down in ways you just couldn't recover from. What did she know about what Nairobi had been through?

She took a deep breath and considered her situation. They were all here for the same reason: because, somehow, the system had screwed them over. And each and every person in that group was prepared to risk everything to defy that system. She nodded to herself. Yes. She was proud to be one of them.

…

That night, Sergio again couldn't sleep. He kept revisiting the morning's lesson in his mind, over and over again, and he tossed and turned for an hour and a half before he decided that it's wasn't going to happen, sat up, and turned on the light. He propped a pillow behind his back and leaned against the headboard as he took up the book he was reading and tried to focus on it. About half an hour later, a soft knock sounded at his bedroom door. He looked up in surprise. Who could be knocking on his door at one in the morning?

He got out of bed and opened the door, and there stood Raquel, dressed in loose pants and a white top.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her.

"Yes", she said quietly. "I'm sorry to disturb you. It's just that I woke up and then I couldn't sleep anymore and when I went to the bathroom, I saw that your light was still on."

"What woke you up? Are Tokyo and Nairobi making noise again?"

"No, no", she said, "nothing like that. I… I just had a rather vivid dream."

She clearly didn't want to make a big deal of it, but he understood that she'd had another nightmare, and his heart went out to her.

"Can I come in?" she asked tentatively.

His eyes widened in alarm. "Why?"

"I'd just… like to talk for a bit."

He realized that she wanted to distract herself from bad thoughts, but he still hesitated. Tokyo had been in his room only yesterday and it had _not _been a pleasant experience. He didn't think he could bear it if Raquel would make fun of him, too. She noticed his hesitation.

"Of course", she said, taking a step back, "you don't have to. It's late, I'll just go back to bed."

"No", he said. "It's okay, you can come in."

He opened the door wider and she slipped past him. He observed her nervously as she looked around the room, watching her take in the neatly folded and stacked clothes on his spare bed. She didn't say anything, however. Then she noticed his origami, and she went over to look.

"What's this?" she said, and he detected nothing of Tokyo's mockery in her voice, only genuine interest.

"Origami", he said.

"Can I touch it?"

He hesitated, and she quickly said: "I'll be very careful."

"Yes, alright."

She picked up a delicately folded bird and examined it closely.

"This is beautiful."

He gave her a shy smile. "Thank you."

She put down the bird again and her eyes roamed over the other figures. "You're really good at this."

"I've been practicing for a long time."

"How long?"

He thought about it. "Oh, ever since I was… ten or eleven, I think."

"Why do you do it?"

"It's a kind of meditation technique, for me. It calms me down and helps me focus at the same time. It's great for when I need to empty my mind, or to keep my hands busy."

She turned away from the origami and sat down cross-legged on his bed.

"Who taught you?"

"My father gave me a book", he said, "and I kind of taught myself."

He stood awkwardly next to the bed, feeling like he should sit down, too, but not knowing where. He glanced towards the spare bed, but he didn't like the thought of having to move his clothes. She followed his gaze and seemed to understand.

"Sit down", she said, patting the mattress beside her. When he still hesitated, she moved all the way to the end of the bed to make room for him. He carefully sat down at the other end. There was an awkward silence, and he cast around for something to say.

"I saw you talk to Nairobi today?"

She nodded. "Yes. During your anatomy lesson this morning, she noticed the stretch marks on my stomach and she came to ask me if I had a child."

"Did you tell her?"

"I did. She told me she's a mother, too."

That surprised him. "Really?"

"Yes. Though I don't think she wants anyone to know, so don't mention it to her."

"I won't."

"Thank you. We talked about our children for a while. I told her how I'm doing this to get Paula back, and she seemed sympathetic. She said she trusts me more now that she knows why I'm here, and she promised me she'd vouch for me with the others."

He smiled. "That's great."

"Yes", she said. "I'm glad I told her. It makes me feel a little less lonely, somehow."

He felt happy for her, but he didn't know how to express that. Having her in his room, on his bed, was such a weird experience. She glanced towards his origami again.

"Were you a lonely child?"

He hesitated. "Look, that's… a personal question."

"Right", she said quickly. "And I'm not supposed to ask those."

She was quiet for a moment, then gave him a careful look and asked: "Aren't we past that, though?"

"Past what?"

"The point where we can't ask each other personal questions."

"We need to keep things professional."

"We're going to be stuck with each other in one room for ten days, though. Don't you think it would be good if we were… friends?"

He stared at her. "I don't… really have any friends."

She shot him a look he couldn't interpret. "That's rather sad."

He shook his head. "No, it's alright. I prefer to be alone. I don't need anybody."

"That's absurd", she said gently. "We all need other people."

"Not me."

"Of course you do."

"I… I used to get lonely", he said. "But I grew out of that."

"Okay…" she said slowly, and he could see that she didn't believe him.

"Really", he said. "I see my brother a few times a year and that's enough."

"Then this must be rather a shock to your system, having to live with nine other people in the house, day after day."

"It's challenging", he admitted. "I miss my privacy."

She grimaced. "And here I am, barging into your room in the middle of the night. I'm sorry."

She started getting off the bed, but he held up a hand to stop her. "No, please, it's okay. I don't really mind it when it's you." The moment he said it, he knew it was true. He didn't mind having her in his personal space. For a moment, he felt surprise – he'd never been comfortable with _anyone _in his personal space. Then she spoke again and he pushed the thought away.

"So what do you think?"

"About what?"

"About us becoming friends."

"What would that involve?"

"Well… it would mean that we sometimes talk to each other and that we care about each other's happiness and wellbeing."

"Oh", he said, then he fell silent.

She gave him a few seconds, then she asked: "Oh?"

"Well…", he said. "We already talk to each other sometimes."

She nodded. "We do."

"And… I don't know about you, but…" He felt himself go slightly red, but he said it anyway. "I already care about your wellbeing. I mean…" he clarified quickly, "I'm the leader of the team, I care about everyone's wellbeing."

She gave him an amused look. "Of course. For what it's worth, I care about your wellbeing too."

"Well…", he said carefully. "Are we already friends, then?"

"I don't know", she said, a corner of her mouth quirking up. "Are we?"

"Yes", he said decidedly. "I think we are."

The smile she gave him went straight through him. He had to look away – it was like trying to look into the sun.

"I'm glad you think so", she said, then she laughed. "Looks like you accidentally made a friend."

He felt a strange surge of happiness. "Looks like I did."

"Alright", she said, still smiling. "I think I'll be able to sleep now."

She got off the bed and crossed to the door.

"Goodnight, Professor."

"Goodnight, Lisbon."

She softly closed the door behind herself and he let himself fall back onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. The happiness inside his chest was overwhelming, and he felt like he would never sleep again.


	6. Game

The younger people in the group were getting restless. He noticed it in everything – they were paying less attention in class, they were drinking more in the evenings, and they were often in each other's rooms, playing music at all hours of the night. When he was once again out of bed in the early hours of the morning to scold them for making too much noise and staying up too late, they told him they needed a distraction.

"We're so tired of being cooped up in this house, Professor!" Tokyo complained. "Why can't we go into Toledo on the weekends to party?"

"Yes, please?" Nairobi asked. "Just on Saturdays?"

"No", he shook his head. "First of all, we can't draw any attention to ourselves. The less people see us, the better. You're all known with the police, and Tokyo especially might get recognized. Secondly, I need you rested for classes in the morning."

"Come on Professor", Denver wheedled. "We're under a lot of stress, we really need to blow off some steam."

"Yes", Rio added. "For once, let us do something fun."

He considered them. "I'll let you do something fun as long as you don't have to leave the grounds of this house to do it."

"Like what?" Tokyo asked.

"I don't know. You can think of something and come to me with a proposition."

Over the next few days, he often saw them with their heads together. Finally, they presented him with their proposition while they were all having lunch outside one day.

"Professor", Nairobi said, "We've come up with the perfect thing to relax for a bit, and the entire group can participate."

"Alright", he said carefully. "What is it?"

Rio grinned broadly. "Let's have a game of paintball!"

There was an excited murmur around the table as the other members of the team perked up. Everyone seemed to like the idea.

Sergio frowned. "You mean that game where you shoot each other with bullets of paint?"

"Yes!" Rio said.

"We're not going out to a paintball range to play."

"We don't have to", Rio said. "You can buy second-hand equipment online. We could play right here."

He shook his head. "I don't think so. We can't afford for anyone to get hurt."

"You don't get hurt in paintball", Rio laughed. "You wear vests."

"And what if anyone gets shot in the face?"

"You wear helmets, too."

"Accidents happen", Sergio said stubbornly. "I can't replace any of you if you lose an eye."

"Come on Professor!" Tokyo said. "Nobody's going to lose an eye! It's just a game!"

He got up. "The answer is no."

They all made noises of complaint, but he ignored them and went inside. At the door, he threw a look back and saw the entire group congregated around Raquel. He frowned. What were they doing? A few minutes later, the question answered itself as Raquel followed him inside and found him in the classroom.

"Have they sent you to persuade me?" he asked.

She grinned. "Yes."

"Why do they think that will work?"

She shrugged. "They seem to think I have some sway over you."

"Well", he said grumpily. "They thought wrong."

She leaned against his desk. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try to change your mind."

"You're not?"

"No. I just wonder if maybe you'd made a snap decision without really thinking it through?"

He threw her an annoyed look. "Don't tell me _you_ are in favor of this stupid game?"

She grinned. "I'm in favor of anything that will allow me to shoot Tokyo."

He had to suppress a smile as he tried to remain stern. "Well, it's a pleasure you'll have to forgo, I'm afraid."

"Alright", she said. "But have you considered the other advantages of this game?"

"Like what?"

"It's a great team building exercise", she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "You think shooting each other is good team building?"

"You don't just shoot each other, you have to work together too. As Rio explained it to me, paintball is usually played in teams. And how do you get people to bond together most quickly?"

"By presenting them with a common enemy", he murmured.

"Exactly. So, yes, this can definitely be considered as a team building activity."

"Okay…"

"It's also the perfect game to play to prepare for the heist."

"How so?"

"Not for you and me, per se, but for the others. Paintball requires a lot of skills they will have to use when they're on the ground at the Mint: quick thinking, working together, staying calm under pressure."

He nodded reluctantly. "I suppose that's true."

"This really is a good idea, Professor."

He looked up at her. "You really think so?"

"I do. I think it would be a great way for everyone to blow off some steam. And I've never done it before, but it sounds like it would be _so much_ fun."

He looked at her shining eyes. "You would enjoy it?"

"Honestly? Yes, I would love it."

He hesitated a few more seconds, then nodded. "Alright, fine. If Rio can get the material, you can have a paintball game."

She gave him a broad smile. "I knew you'd come around."

She went out to tell the others, and he was left with the uncomfortable thought that maybe she did have some sway over him.

…

A few days later, the material arrived: camouflage suits, closed helmets with visors, protective vests, ten paintball guns and a heap of paint pellets. They all stood around it, chatting enthusiastically, a sense of excitement in the air. Rio took up one of the guns and showed it to the others.

"Now this is really quality material", he said proudly. "Not those flimsy little guns they use for children's parties – these are the real thing. They pack a lot of power, so we need to agree on two things: one – aim to shoot only on the vests. And two – no shooting at close range."

"What do you consider close range?" Raquel asked.

"Anything closer than three meters, though five would be even better."

Sergio frowned. Rio had assured him that playing paintball wouldn't be dangerous, but that's not what it sounded like.

"So how are we going to play this?" Rio asked. "Every person for themselves, or will we play teams?"

"I don't want you to play for yourselves", Sergio said. "This was supposed to be a team building exercise."

"But I don't want big teams", Denver said quickly. "Then I can never remember who's on my team and who's on the other team."

"How about we partner up, then?" Rio suggested.

Everybody nodded.

"Sure", Nairobi said. "But then there's one big question: who gets the cop?"

They all looked at Raquel, who raised her eyebrows in surprise. "What?"

"You're obviously the best shooter here", Nairobi explained.

"Am I?" she wondered. "What about Helsinki and Oslo? They've been in an actual war."

"We've done a lot of shooting", Helsinki nodded. "Aiming, not so much. If you fire enough bullets, sooner or later you'll hit something."

"You've had actual training", Nairobi said. "Whoever gets to partner with you will have an advantage."

"Alright", Rio said. "There's an obvious solution. We partner the best shooter with the worst."

Nairobi nodded. "Agreed. So who's the worst shot?"

They all turned to Sergio. He quickly took a step back.

"Oh no", he said. "No, no, no. I'm not playing."

"But you _have _to play", Tokyo pointed out. "Otherwise we're uneven."

"I really… I can't… I don't… just… no."

Raquel seemed to take pity on him.

"It's okay", she said. "I don't need a partner, I can fly solo."

"That's not fair", Denver said.

She grinned. "Don't worry about it. I like a challenge."

"But you'll have nobody to watch your back", Nairobi said.

A fierce internal battle was going on in Sergio's mind. He didn't want Raquel to be the only one without a partner, but he also felt a desperate desire not to make a fool of himself in front of her. Which was a pretty inevitable outcome if he tried to play paintball. He looked at her, and she smiled at him.

"Really", she said. "I don't mind."

He closed his eyes. "Fine. I'll do it."

The group cheered, then everyone started grabbing gear from the pile and pairing off. Helsinki and Oslo stuck together, of course, as did Denver and Moscow. Tokyo and Rio formed a partnership, which left Berlin and Nairobi, who promptly declared themselves the game's power couple. The different pairings walked a little way from each other to put on their gear and talk strategy. Sergio reluctantly followed Raquel until they were out of earshot of the others.

"Okay", she said, turning to him. "Tell me how fucked I am. How bad are you, exactly?"

He grimaced. "I know how to shoot a gun and I don't have terrible aim, but I don't do very well under pressure."

She stared at him. "Oh", she said. "Then it's a good thing you're not planning anything _particularly_ _stressful_ in the near future."

"That's different", he said. "I've been preparing for that for years, if everything goes well I'll be in full control of the situation. But when you're out shooting at each other, it's chaos. There's no rules to it, no logic. You have to think on your feet and react instinctively. I'm terrible at that. I'm pretty sure I have no instincts."

"Nonsense", she said, picking up one of the camouflage outfits and pulling it on over her regular clothes. "Everybody has instincts. You're just so much in your head that you've forgotten how to listen to them. When you're on the field, you have to try to turn off your thoughts and let your natural reflexes kick in. Something moves, you shoot it. It's really not that hard."

He hesitated. "That's another thing. I… I don't like the idea of shooting people."

"You do realize there's only paint in these guns, right?"

"Yes", he said, "I do realize that. But look…"

He took up one of the guns, aimed it at the ground and pulled the trigger. A paint pellet shot out and exploded, leaving quite a deep hole in the earth.

"These pellets have quite a bit of force behind them", he said. "They have to, since you need to be able to shoot them over quite a distance. Hitting people with these won't kill them, but it _will _hurt if you don't manage to hit them on the vest. Doesn't that bother you?"

"I've had a rough couple of months", she said drily, pulling on a protective vest. "I'm rather low on empathy at the moment."

"But these are members of our team!"

"Well", she said thoughtfully. "Most of them have been a little nicer to me since I had that talk with Nairobi, but they were all pretty shitty to me for weeks. I feel like I deserve to shoot a few of them."

He couldn't help but grin. "You're a lot more vengeful than I thought you would be."

She grinned back as she shouldered her gun. "Let that be a warning for you not to screw me over."

"I wouldn't dare", he murmured, pulling on his own gear.

"Look", she said. "If you really don't want to shoot anyone, then don't. Just stick close to me and try not to get shot. I can always use an extra pair of eyes."

…

They all walked together to a little forest that was on their grounds. They maneuvered through the trees until they found a little open spot almost in the middle of the woods. There, Rio planted a stick in the ground and hung a white handkerchief from it.

"This is the flag", he said. "First team to capture it, wins. I'm also putting a whistle on the ground here, so if you're the first to the flag, blow it so everyone knows the game is over. If you get hit by a paint pellet, you're dead and you have to go wait at the edge of the forest."

They all walked out of the forest again. On the way out, Tokyo came to walk next to Raquel.

"You know, out in the real world you go to jail for shooting a cop, but in here it's allowed. And I'm going to enjoy shooting you."

"Not if I shoot you first", Raquel said lightly.

"Don't get cocky just because you had some training. I'm going to destroy you."

Raquel gave her a cool look. "We'll see about that."

They came out of the woods and spread out. Tokyo gave Raquel one last dirty look, and Raquel nodded at her.

"May the best woman win."

They spaced themselves out, two by two, at the edge of the trees. Sergio felt terribly nervous as he eyed the others. They all seemed to feel so much more comfortable holding their guns than he did. Then he looked at Raquel, who gave him an encouraging smile.

"It's only a game", she said softly. "Just have fun."

He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and nodded.

They all put on their helmets. The next moment, Rio shouted out: "Three… two… one… go!" and they all ran forwards into the trees. Sergio let Raquel take the lead, and he followed her for a couple of yards into the forest before she came to a stop and listened.

"Do you hear any of the others?" she said, her voice muffled by her helmet.

"No", he whispered back.

"Okay", she said, "then let's continue on as quietly as we can. I think we need to go a little to the left."

She kept a watchful eye on the trees around them as they made their way through bushes and patches of nettles. Sergio felt his heart beat rather frantically, and he tried to take a few deep breaths to calm down. He really wasn't made for stuff like this, and he couldn't help but throw admiring glances at Raquel, who seemed focused and completely calm.

Several minutes passed without incident, then they heard movement ahead of them. Raquel quickly crouched behind a bush and motioned for Sergio to get down, too. As the noises came nearer, she jumped up, her gun at the ready.

"Don't shoot!" a voice sounded. "We're already dead!"

Sergio got up too, and raised his eyebrows as he saw Denver and Moscow, their vests completely covered in paint. "What happened to _you_?"

"Tokyo", Denver grumbled. "That girl is fucking insane. She's not even wearing her helmet anymore, she said it reduced her vision."

"They're a bit ahead of you", Moscow warned them. "I'd hurry up or they're going to get there first."

"Come on", Raquel said to Sergio, before hurrying off.

They moved faster now, making more noise as they went, but it couldn't be helped. They got to a patch of forest that was more open, with broader trees that grew farther apart from each other and fewer bushes on the ground. Raquel set a fast pace, and Sergio hurried to keep up, until suddenly a paint pellet exploded against the tree right next to him.

"Watch out!" Raquel shouted.

He froze, but she grabbed him and pulled him behind the tree. It was only just broad enough to shield them, so she pressed her back against the trunk and pulled him in against her. Her sudden closeness alarmed him so much that he took several steps back without thinking.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him. "You're going to get shot!"

She was proven right as a paint pellet whizzed past him and missed his shoulder by inches. She grabbed his collar and pulled him close again, into the cover the tree provided. Several more paint pellets shot past them, and a few exploded against the tree.

"Alright", she snapped. "Shoot!"

It was extremely hard to think with his body pressed to hers – even though they were both wearing vests and helmets, she was still very, very close. Finally he managed to say: "No, we agreed I wouldn't shoot."

"Not to hit anyone!" she said. "Just to scare them off."

Leaning against her to stay in the cover of the tree, he raised his gun and fired in the direction the shots were coming from. The rain of pellets stopped immediately. They waited for several breathless seconds, then they heard the sound of people moving away from them.

"Okay", Raquel whispered. "I think they're gone."

She looked up at him.

"What?" he said, his mouth dry.

She grinned. "You can get off me now."

He hurriedly scrambled backwards, and she laughed.

"You _really _don't do well under pressure, do you?"

She carefully peered around the tree, then motioned for him to follow her. As he walked next to her, he noticed that his heart was beating rather fast again – probably from the excitement of the game, he thought. They found a path and stayed on it for a while as it wound deeper into the forest. The trees grew very close together here, and visibility ahead of them was poor, which made him nervous. And sure enough, when they rounded a bend around a clump of bushes, they were suddenly face to face with the Serbians. Before Sergio had really registered the situation, Raquel had already raised her gun and put two splashes of blue paint on their vests.

"I can't believe how fast you reacted", he said as Oslo and Helsinki walked past them to get out of the forest, muttering Serbian curses under their breath.

Raquel shrugged. "These kinds of reflexes are what they train you for in the police academy. Looks like old habits die hard."

They decided to get off the path because it turned away from the direction they need to head in. The next part of the forest was crisscrossed with ditches, most of them dry, and Sergio knew they were getting closer to the flag. He kept shooting looks at Raquel – he couldn't help but admire her focused determination, her cool head, her quick thinking. She would be an amazing partner for him in the control room. Looking at Raquel, however, meant he wasn't looking at the ground, and he was painfully confronted with the consequences of that when he tripped over a root and fell flat on his face.

She turned around in surprise. "What happened?"

"Root", he said succinctly, feeling himself go red as he hastened to get up again.

She was clearly torn between laughter and concern. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Only my dignity", he muttered darkly as he brushed himself off.

She allowed herself a broad grin now. "That won't kill you. Now watch where you're going."

They were walking alongside a ditch when a sudden rustle from a nearby bush made them look up. A helmet appeared through the leaves, followed by a gun…

They immediately turned around and jumped into the ditch together. As they crouched at the bottom, Raquel nodded approvingly at him.

"Glad to see you didn't freeze this time."

He bristled. "I'm not _totally _useless."

She grinned. "Says the man who was taken down by a _root_."

"You know", he said with dignity, "we can't all be good at paintball. I have other talents."

She winked. "I can't wait to discover them."

He didn't know how to respond to that, but she had already returned her attention to the game. She got up carefully and peered over the edge of the ditch. Immediately, paint pellets came whizzing over her head, and she quickly ducked back down.

"I think it's Nairobi and Berlin."

He looked around. "This ditch is closed off on the left. Let's go right."

She jumped up, fired a couple of rounds into the bush and ducked back down. More paint pellets flew over the ditch as they crawled along the bottom to the right. After a few yards, however, the way was blocked by a rock. They could get over it, but it would mean exposing themselves for a few precious seconds.

"Okay", Sergio said, assessing the situation. "Nairobi and Berlin are probably still looking elsewhere, so one of us can probably safely get over this rock."

Raquel nodded. "But Nairobi and Berlin will definitely see that, so there will be two guns aimed at the second person."

"Yes", he said. "Only one of us can get out."

"Fuck", Raquel muttered.

"Look", he said. "I think we're really close to the flag. It should be you, you stand a much better chance of getting there. I'll stay behind."

"No way", she snapped. "We're a team, we're in this together."

He looked at her in dismay. "Then what do you propose? That we both stay here like sitting ducks until one of them comes over and shoots us?"

At that point, however, they heard shouting and the sound of guns coming from the direction of the bush. Raquel peeked over the edge of the ditch.

"It's Rio and Tokyo!" she said quietly. "They're chasing off Nairobi and Berlin."

She ducked back down, and they waited until the running footsteps of the two other pairs receded in the distance. Then he turned to her and grinned.

"Saved by Tokyo. That must sting."

"I didn't need saving", she said haughtily. "I would have shot Nairobi and Berlin myself if I'd had the chance."

They carefully pulled themselves out of the ditch and hastily left in the direction opposite that which the others had taken. They walked for several more minutes, and then – to Sergio's immense relief – they glimpsed a spot of white through the trees. Sure enough, it was the flag, and they seemed to be the first ones there. Before stepping onto open ground, however, Raquel flung out her arm and stopped him.

"Let's get behind a bush and wait."

"What are you talking about?" he said. "The flag is right there, just grab it and let's get this over with!"

"No", she said, grabbing his arm and dragging him between some bushes. "I want to shoot Tokyo."

He couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously?"

She grinned at him. "Oh, I'm deadly serious. I might never get this chance again."

He rolled his eyes. "This was supposed to be a team building game. I don't see how you and Tokyo are going to get any closer if you shoot her."

She kept her eyes on the flag. "I'm sure I will find it much easier to be nice to her after I've had the pleasure of shooting her in the face with a big blob of paint."

"On the _vest_!" he said, alarmed. "You're shooting her on the _vest_, right?!"

"I don't know", she murmured. "Maybe I can't aim thatwell."

"Your aim is perfect", he said sternly. "I _forbid _you from shooting Tokyo in the face."

She gave him an amused look. "You _forbid _me?"

"Yes", he said staunchly. "I do. I'm the leader of this group and you'll do as I say."

"Fine", she grinned. "Can I shoot her in the shoulder then?"

"No."

"In the leg?"

"No!"

She sighed in mock disappointment. "You're no fun at all."

"That's what I'm known for, yes", he mumbled.

She gave him a look. "I think you could be fun", she said. "Under the right circumstances."

"And what might those be?"

Her eyes sparkled as she opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, a paint pellet whizzed between them and exploded against a tree. They quickly ducked.

"Fuck", she said. "Tokyo and Rio. There goes my element of surprise."

They peered between the leaves of their bush and could vaguely see two people crouching behind another bush on the other side of the clearing where the flag was. Raquel pushed her gun between the branches and shot a few rounds at them, but it only made them shoot back. Sergio frowned.

"Looks like we're in a stalemate."

For several minutes, they kept shooting in each other's general direction, then they noticed that they were getting significantly fewer pellets back.

"I think they're running out of ammo", Raquel said, pleased. "And then we've got them." She turned to him. "I'm a bit worried about Nairobi and Berlin. Could you keep a look-out for them?"

He moved away from their bush, staying low to the ground until he reached a clump of trees, then he stood up behind one of them and scanned the forest. For a minute, he didn't see anything move – then Rio emerged silently from behind a rock, creeping in Raquel's direction.

For a moment, Sergio froze. He was afraid Rio would spot him if he moved, but Rio seemed intent on reaching Raquel. He knew he couldn't shout to warn her without getting shot himself. Carefully, very carefully, he raised his gun and aimed. He took a deep breath to steady himself while Rio disappeared behind a tree for a moment. Then, when he reappeared, Sergio pulled the trigger.

The blue paint pellet exploded against Rio's vest with a satisfying 'splat!', and Sergio grinned broadly as Rio looked up at him in surprise.

"Fuck!" he said, and then his face split into a big smile. "But that was quite a shot, Professor! Maybe we didn't give you enough credit before."

They walked out of the trees together to where Raquel was still crouching behind the bush. She turned around and her eyebrows went up.

"What happened?"

"The Professor shot me", Rio said cheerfully.

Her eyebrows went up further. "I thought you didn't want to shoot anyone?"

"I didn't have a choice", he said defensively. "I wasn't just going to let them win."

She smiled at him, but then a rush of movement in the clearing caught her eye: Tokyo was using their distraction to make a run for the flag. She wasn't fast enough, however – Raquel whirled around and, with deadly accuracy, hit Tokyo square in the chest with three successive shots.

"_Oh_", she said, her eyes shining triumphantly. "That felt _good_!"

Sergio could only stare at her. God, she was magnificent.

They took off their helmets and vests as they all walked out into the clearing to where Tokyo stood glowering. Raquel plucked the flag off the stick with a big grin.

"Nice try, Tokyo", she teased, going right up to her. "But it looks like the best woman won."

As Raquel turned around, Sergio saw the look of fury on Tokyo's face, and he somehow knew what was going to happen. Tokyo raised her gun straight at Raquel. Sergio didn't think. He stepped between them.

The impact hit him right in the chest , and it felt like he'd been hit by a hammer. All the air was knocked out of him as he bent double, gasping, pain shooting through him as he struggled to take a breath. The next moment, Raquel flashed past him and slapped Tokyo right across the face. He straightened up with difficulty and hastened to grab Raquel around the waist and pull her away from Tokyo, who was being restrained by Rio.

"Let me go!" Raquel yelled at him.

"No way", he said, struggling to keep hold of her. "One slap was enough!"

"But she _shot _you! You didn't have your vest on and she _shot _you!"

"It's only a paintball", he soothed her, though the place where it had hit him was still throbbing. "Besides, she didn't mean to hit me."

"I don't care who she _meant_ to hit, she hit _you_!"

He couldn't help but feel a little pleased that she was getting so angry on his behalf.

"Calm down", he said, suppressing a smile. "I'll survive."

Between him and Rio, they managed to keep the women away from each other, then Rio blew the whistle to alert the others that the flag was captured. After a few minutes, Nairobi and Berlin emerged from the trees, and they all left the forest together, to find the others at the edge of the woods. Raquel triumphantly held up the flag, and they all cheered and applauded her. Sergio was happy to see that almost everyone congratulated her on the way back to the house.

When they reached the house, the group sat down around the table outside, laughing and discussing the more exciting moments of the game. Before Sergio could sit down, however, Raquel put a hand on his arm.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Yes", he admitted. "It does."

"Let's get some ice on it."

They walked to the house together and into the kitchen.

"Let's see how bad the damage is", she said briskly, and before he knew what was happening, she was unbuttoning his shirt. He quickly brushed her hand away as he felt himself turn red.

"I can do that myself", he murmured.

She merely shrugged and grabbed a tea towel, then went to the freezer to get some ice cubes. When his shirt was unbuttoned, she gave a low whistle.

"That's quite a bruise."

He looked down at his chest, where a big purple bruise was indeed beginning to blossom. She handed him the towel with the ice and he gingerly pressed it to his chest.

"Do you have some arnica cream?" she asked him. "That helps a bit."

"In the first aid kit", he said. "In the bathroom."

She left and returned a few minutes later with the right tube. Coming right up to him, she pushed his hand away and started applying the cream to the bruise, and he felt himself go red again. He knew he should insist on doing it himself, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to say anything as her fingers carefully touched his skin.

As she applied the cream, she shook her head with a slight smile.

"I can't believe you took a bullet for me."

He felt like she was giving him too much credit.

"It wasn't a conscious decision. I just reacted instinctively."

She smiled up at him. "I thought you didn't have any instincts?"

He looked down at her. "Looks like they kick in when it really matters."

Her hand was still on his chest as she looked into his eyes. He felt like she expected something from him, but he couldn't imagine what it was. Was he supposed to say something? Do something? What?

Before he could think it through any further, the kitchen door opened and Berlin and Denver walked in. Raquel took a step backwards and screwed the cap back on the tube of arnica cream.

"Beer!" Denver said obliviously as he went straight for the refrigerator.

Berlin, however, came over to them. "So how is our heroically wounded leader? Any broken ribs?"

"Just a bruise", Raquel smiled.

"Are you sure he doesn't need bedrest?" Berlin grinned. "And maybe the care of a dedicated nurse?"

Raquel laughed. "I'm sure he'll recover on his own."

She left to put the arnica cream back in the first aid kit, and Sergio buttoned up his shirt again. Berlin gave his brother a sly look.

"Did we interrupt something just now?"

Sergio looked confused. "What would you interrupt?"

Berlin laughed and shook his head. "Oh, nothing."

The atmosphere at dinner that evening was extremely cheerful, and the air was full of laughter. Sergio couldn't help but notice that Raquel was a part of the conversation now, and he smiled to himself. He knew the others would come around eventually and see her for the amazing person she was. After the food was gone, he suddenly felt exhausted as the stress of the day took its toll on him. He excused himself, urged them all to go to bed on time, and walked towards the front door. Before he could go inside, however, Raquel caught up with him.

"I just wanted to say goodnight", she said. "And thank you."

"What for?" he asked.

"For saving me from a bruise", she smiled. "And for everything else. I had a great time today."

"Me too", he said, surprised to realize that it was true.

He watched her walk back to the table, then he went upstairs and changed into his pajamas. He was so tired that he expected to fall asleep instantly, but a weird sensation in his chest kept him awake. He couldn't really tell if it was just the bruise hurting him, or something else.


	7. Aware

Before breakfast the next day, exhausted by another sleepless night, Sergio went up to his brother's bedroom and knocked. Berlin opened the door, and Sergio quickly slipped inside.

"What's wrong?" his brother immediately remarked as he closed the door again and continued dressing.

"Why do you assume something's wrong?"

"We agreed we wouldn't give the others any reason to suspect that there was a closer bond between us, and yet here you are in my bedroom."

"I just wanted to ask you if you're going to the pharmacy to get your medication later?"

"Yes, I am, do you need something?"

"Some anti-anxiety medication, please."

His brother frowned. "Are you under that much stress?"

He nodded. "To the point that I'm experiencing physical symptoms."

"What kind of symptoms?"

"Loss of appetite, inability to sleep. My stomach is upset, I'm experiencing cardiac arrythmia, moments of shortness of breath, and spells of dizziness."

Berlin smiled broadly. "You know what those are symptoms of?"

Sergio looked at him. "Yes. _Stress_."

Berlin snorted. "You know, for such a smart guy you can be inconceivably stupid."

"What do you mean?" he bristled.

"Isn't it obvious? You're _in love_, Sergio."

Sergio stared at him. "What? No, that's impossible."

"I'm pretty confident in my diagnosis."

"But I feel _awful_."

"Yes, that's what happens. I do have to congratulate you on your excellent taste. Raquel is a fine woman."

His heart started beating faster at the sound of her name. "Raquel?"

"Of course. Do you think I'm blind? I see the way you look at her."

"But I… no, Andrés, I can't be in love with her, I can't. That would cause so much trouble."

"Tell me if this is true: you can't stop thinking about her."

He felt a little dizzy as he suddenly realized that it was true. "Yes", he said softly.

"And what can't you stop thinking about? Her ass, her breasts, her mouth?"

"Her eyes", he whispered. "I can't stop thinking about her eyes."

Andrés clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Then you're in trouble."

Sergio sank down on the bed, and his brother frowned at him.

"You really had no idea?"

"It… it never even entered my mind as an option. Falling in love… I don't fall in love, Andrés. I never have."

"There's a first time for everything."

He shook his head. "No. You're mistaken. People don't fall in love for the first time at forty. And certainly not me."

"Why do you think you're immune?"

"Because I don't like any of that emotional stuff. It's messy and dangerous and painful and it doesn't affect me."

"Then what are you feeling for Raquel?"

"Friendship", he said firmly. "She's my friend."

Berlin gave him an amused look. "Don't kid yourself. She's more than that."

"No", he said firmly, closing his mind to any other possibility. "She's not. I don't get emotional over people, Andrés. I never have and I never will. The only person I love is you."

"That's very sad."

"I don't care if it's sad – it's true. I've never loved anyone outside of my family and I don't plan to start now."

He got up. "So if you could just get me some anti-anxiety medication from the pharmacy, I'm sure I'll feel better."

His brother shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"I'm not in love!"

"Keep telling yourself that", Berlin smirked. "It might make it true."

…

He left Berlin's room with the firm conviction that his brother was mistaken. Just because Andréshad never been friends with a woman in his life without trying to sleep with her, didn't mean that the same was true for him. He had a friend who happened to be a woman – there was nothing wrong with that. And if he noticed every once in a while that she was very attractive, well, that was only an objective observation. If he liked talking to her more than he liked talking to any of the other members of the team, that was only because she was clever and funny. It was true that he sought out her company, but that was only because she would be in the control room with him and they needed to get comfortable with each other. He shook his head to himself as he went down to breakfast. He knew himself. He'd never fallen in love before and it wasn't happening to him now.

He went up to the table and only realized that he'd automatically chosen the seat next to her after he'd already sat down. _It's only normal_, he told himself. _We've gotten into the habit of sitting next to each other. That's what friends do_.

She turned to him with a smile. "Good morning. How's the bruise?"

"It's okay, but it did keep me up last night", he sighed.

"I'm sorry", she said contritely.

He looked at her in surprise. "What are you sorry for?"

"That paint pellet was meant for me, not for you. I should be the one with the bruise."

"Well", he said without thinking. "I'm glad it didn't hit you." Then he quickly clarified: "Because we're friends! And that means I care about your health."

She looked at him, slightly confused by his outburst. "Yes, of course. Well, thank you anyway. You're a good friend."

She smiled at him, and he tried to ignore the way his heart skipped a beat. They both turned to their breakfast, and he told himself he was just happy that she'd called him a good friend. He hadn't had many friends before – he was just pleased that he was doing it right.

During class that morning, he became aware for the first time of how his eyes kept getting drawn to the back of the classroom, where she was sitting. _I just want to make sure she's paying attention,_ he reasoned to himself. _It's important that she absorbs every detail of the plan, since she'll be in the control room with me_. Later, when he arrived last at the table for lunch and the seats on either side of her were already taken, he noticed a stab of disappointment, but he waved it away. He was, of course, just as happy to sit next to anybody else.

It was a warm, sunny day that ended in a warm, beautiful evening, and after dinner, Raquel announced that she was going for a walk. The rest of them remained seated around the table, talking and enjoying the last rays of the sun. After a while, however, clouds came drifting in from the east, and a chill wind made the temperature drop dramatically. They were already moving everything inside when the first raindrops began to fall. Sergio glanced in the direction Raquel had left in, but she wasn't in sight yet as he hurried inside after the others. They all dispersed to their rooms, except for Sergio and Berlin, who remained behind in the main hall to talk. Sergio kept shooting glances at the front door. Finally, he couldn't deny anymore that he was worried.

"What's the matter?" Berlin asked, noting his distraction.

"She's not back yet. She never stays out for more than an hour and now it's been almost an hour and a half."

"She's probably taken shelter from the rain", Berlin said reasonably.

"Yes", he said. "Right, of course."

The rain stopped as they discussed the progress of Sergio's teaching. According to his calculations, they were slightly ahead of schedule.

"Good", Berlin said. "That accounts for any unforeseen circumstances." He suddenly frowned. "Will you stop fidgeting? It's getting annoying."

Sergio threw a worried look out of the window. "It's going to get dark soon. Where _is _she?"

"I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she was tired of our company and decided to walk a little further today."

"But what if something happened to her?"

"Like what?"

"The rain made everything slippery. What if she fell and hurt herself?"

"I'm sure she would have called you. You gave everyone your number."

A cold feeling was spreading through his chest. "What if something worse happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"A woman out alone… what if someone…" He stopped. He didn't even want to think about the possibilities.

Berlin shook his head. "There's very few people in the vicinity."

"Exactly!" he said, getting upset. "So there would be nobody around if she got attacked…"

"Sergio" Berlin said firmly. "Calm down. I'm sure she's fine, but if you're so worried, why don't you go out and look for her? You know the path she took."

"Yes", he said, relieved that he could do something. He got up, put on his coat, and went outside.

It was drizzling again, and the wind was worse than before. He set off at a brisk pace, trying to reason away his worries. _She's fine_, he kept repeating to himself. _She's fine_. Yet he couldn't keep darker thoughts at bay. What if something had happened to her? What if she was seriously hurt? He couldn't take her to a hospital – she was a fugitive. His heart was beating much faster than was normal for how fast he was walking, and he could only just suppress the panic rising inside him. He knew objectively that he was probably overreacting, but it didn't stop him from worrying. It was getting dark now, and she still wasn't back. He _knew _something must have happened. What if she slipped and fell, what if she was unconscious somewhere? What if someone had come across her, all alone in the woods? He quickened his pace.

There were a number of large rocks beside the path, and as he turned a bend and passed them, there she suddenly was, sitting on a smaller rock by the side of the road. The relief he felt was so strong, it made him dizzy, and for a moment he just closed his eyes in gratitude. Then he hurried up to her.

"Raquel! Are you okay?"

She looked up in surprise. "Oh", she said. "Yes, I'm fine."

The relief he felt was tipping over into anger. "Then where the _hell _have you been?"

"I sprained my ankle", she explained. "A loose rock rolled away under my feet and I tripped. I took shelter from the rain for a while, then I've been making my way back, but it's slow going on one leg. I had to sit down every five minutes."

"Why didn't you call me?"

She frowned at him. "With what phone? You busted me out on my way to prison, I didn't have a phone on me. And I haven't been off the grounds here, when would I have bought a new one?"

He felt unreasonably frustrated. "You should have asked me! I have a dozen extra phones."

She shrugged. "Everyone I can talk to in the entire world is with me in that house, what did I need a phone for?"

"Emergencies like this!"

"Yes", she said, giving him a tired smile. "I realize that now."

He suddenly noticed how exhausted she looked, and he felt bad for yelling at her. The rain was coming down harder again, and she was shivering in her wet t-shirt. He quickly shrugged out of his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"Oh", she said, "You don't have to…"

"Yes I do", he said firmly. "You're cold and I still have my jacket."

She gave him a grateful look and buttoned up the coat. "Thank you."

"Alright", he said, calmer now. "Let me see that ankle."

He kneeled down in front of her and she pulled up one pants leg to show him.

He shook his head. "Yes, that's really sprained. You can't put any weight on it at all."

"I know", she said. "I've been hopping all the way over here."

She got up with difficulty, balancing on one leg, and he noticed her grimace in pain.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I wasn't", she said, "but after putting all my weight on one leg for miles, everything hurts."

He hesitated, his heart beating faster at the very thought, but he couldn't see any other solution. There was no way in hell that he was letting her walk a single step further while she was in pain. He took a deep breath.

"Well, then there's only one option", he said.

"What?" she asked, then gasped in surprise as he suddenly picked her up off the ground, one arm around her shoulders, the other under her knees. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him in disbelief.

"You can't possibly carry me all the way back to the house."

He didn't dare look at her, so he kept his gaze straight ahead as he started walking. "It's only a few more minutes."

"Really", she protested weakly. "I can walk."

"No", he said. "You can't."

He felt her entire body go soft with relief.

"Thank you", she said quietly.

"Don't mention it", he murmured.

They were silent for a few minutes as he carried her through the rainy twilight. He was soon out of breath from the exercise, and he needed all his mental energy for not noticing how she leaned against his chest, how her arms were wrapped around his neck, how her face was only inches away from his. Then he noticed that, despite his coat, she was still shivering with exhaustion and cold. He carefully put her down and shrugged out of his jacket.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her teeth chattering.

"You're still cold."

"No", she said firmly, shaking her head. "I'm not taking your jacket."

"Yes you are."

"But it's cold."

"I'm warm enough from carrying you."

"But it's raining."

"My shirt is already wet anyway."

It was true – the rain was coming down hard now and his shirt was already soaked through. She reluctantly unbuttoned his coat, and he helped her into his jacket, then she pulled the coat back on.

"You're a real gentleman, you know that?" she said softly as he picked her back up.

He snorted. "Because I don't want you to get hypothermia? Hardly."

His shirt was clinging to his skin now, and she gave him an appreciative look.

"You have really nice shoulders."

He had absolutely no idea how to respond to that, so he just turned red and kept walking.

Just when he started thinking that he couldn't carry her much farther, the house came into view, and he sighed in relief. He put her down so he could open the heavy front door, and she hopped inside, where Berlin was waiting for them.

"Ah", he said, looking up from the book he was reading. "There's our damsel in distress. What happened?"

"Sprained ankle", she said succinctly, before letting herself fall into a chair. "God, I'm tired."

"I'll get you some water", Sergio said.

When he came out of the kitchen, Berlin had gone up to bed. Raquel gratefully accepted the water, drank it, then got up. He watched her as she tried to hop across the room, but after only a few paces, she overbalanced, and he only just caught her before she fell. Without a word, he picked her back up and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. He was acutely aware of the symbolism of carrying her over the threshold of a bedroom, so after he'd gently deposited her on the bed, he hurried back out to get her some ice.

"Alright", he said, as she held the towel full of ice cubes against her ankle. "Keep that on for at least half an hour, and then I advise you to take a hot shower to get warm again. Do you think you can make it to the bathroom?"

"Yes", she smiled up at him. "I'm sure I can. Thank you. For coming to find me and for carrying me home."

"Of course", he murmured, then he turned to go.

He was already at the door when she said: "Next time I go out walking, I'll be more careful."

He turned around. "Next time?"

She looked up at him. "Yes?"

He stared at her. "You can't go out anymore after this!"

"Well, not immediately of course, but after my ankle heals."

"But you'll take someone with you from now on, right?"

She frowned. "No, I don't think so. I'm cooped up in this house with ten people for days on end, I need a little bit of alone time every now and then."

He was shaking his head. "No, no you can't go out alone anymore. You can't."

She raised her eyebrows. "Why not?"

_Because I was too worried, _he thought. _Because I can't stand the thought that something might happen to you. _Out loud, he said:

"Because I say so."

Her eyebrows went up further. "Because you _say so_?"

"Yes!" he said heatedly. "Just because we're friends doesn't mean that I'm no longer the leader of this operation. It's my responsibility to keep you all safe, so if I say that you can't go out walking on your own, that's final."

"Sergio…" she said, and he felt a sharp stab in his chest.

"Don't use my name", he snapped.

She was taken aback. "Why are you getting so upset?"

_Because I want you to be safe, _he thought desperately. _Because I care about you. Because I want to take you in my arms and… _The realization hit him with such force that it left him reeling. He stared at her. Oh god. That feeling in his chest that he'd been trying to ignore… that wasn't just friendship, was it? It was normal to care about your friends, but to care _this _much… that was something else. Even he recognized that.

She noticed him staring and frowned. "What?"

He abruptly turned away from her.

"It's late, I'm going to bed."

"What?"

He opened the door without looking at her. "Ice that ankle, then take a hot shower. I'll see you in the morning."

Before she could say anything else, he closed the door behind himself. Out in the dark hallway, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This was bad. This was so, so bad. When had this happened? Since when had she come to mean so much to him? When had her smiles become the highlight of his day? When was the first time that he had wanted to touch her, when he usually didn't want to touch anyone? When? He felt dizzy. He hated that he had no grip on this – the feeling of going down a slippery slope with nothing to hold onto.

He took a deep breath. Now that he looked back on it, it was obvious: he'd been falling in love with her all along, ever since the day they met, when he'd seen the fire in her eyes rekindle after she'd accepted his offer. He'd fallen in love with her during their practiced negotiations, when she constantly challenged and surprised him with her intelligence and quick wit. He'd fallen in love with her when she'd confided in him after her nightmares. He'd been falling in love with her continuously: when they were stuck in that attic together, when she'd been so careful with his origami, during that paintball game, and every time she made him laugh. Looking back over the past few weeks, there wasn't a single moment when he hadn't been falling in love with her. He couldn't believe he'd been so blind.

In his mind's eye, he could see the hurt look on her face when he'd snapped at her. He'd have to apologize to her in the morning. His eyes opened in alarm. Oh god. He'd have to see her again tomorrow. How was he going to face her now? How was he going to talk to her, look at her, when everything surrounding her was such a swirling mess of emotions? His chest was so full that it felt like he was suffocating. He knew that he needed to talk to someone, and since it couldn't be _her_, there was only one other person he could confide in.

With the utmost reluctance, he pushed himself away from the wall and walked a few doors to the left, then knocked.

Berlin opened the door, still fully dressed, and Sergio walked straight past him inside, then sat down heavily on the bed.

"Andrés", he said quietly. "I'm in love."

His brother grinned broadly. "No, _really_? What gave you that idea?"

He looked up pleadingly. "What do I do about this?"

"Well, I suggest you take a nice bottle of wine and you go to her room after everyone's asleep and…"

His eyes went big. "God no! I meant, how do I make it go away?"

"Go away?"

"Yes! How do I stop being in love? People fall out of love all the time, don't they? I've seen it happen to you so often."

"Yes, people fall out of love sometimes, but it takes time."

"Well, I don't have time. I need to focus on the heist, I can't afford any distractions. How do I fall out of love _now_?"

His brother sighed. "I don't know, Sergio, I've never tried."

"I'd be grateful for any suggestions at all."

"Well, have you tried focusing on her negative qualities?"

He buried his face in his hands and groaned. "What negative qualities? She's perfect."

Berlin gave him an amused grin. "God, you've got it bad."

"I know", he whispered. "I'm so screwed."

"The only thing I can think of that might work is if you limit your exposure."

He looked up. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you have to limit your interactions with her as much as possible. No more sitting next to her at mealtimes. No more walks together. No more intimate talks in either of your bedrooms. Treat her like any other member of the team."

"But we're friends", he protested weakly.

"I'm sorry", Berlin shook his head. "But you can't be friends with this woman if you don't want to fall in love with her any further."

"You're right", he murmured sadly. "This has to stop now."

His brother paused for a moment, then said: "Look, Sergio, would it really be the worst thing in the world to start a relationship with her?"

He looked up, astonished. "A relationship? What makes you think she'd want that?"

"I'm fairly certain that she likes you too."

He shook his head. "No, women don't like me. They like _you_."

Berlin grinned. "I know you don't have much experience with women, but let me tell you that women are not in fact a collective entity with one single opinion. Different women can, and do, like different men."

"It doesn't really matter though. She's only just gotten out of a terrible marriage, and she's lost her job and her daughter. I'm sure relationships are the furthest thing from her mind right now."

"Well", Berlin said, "you could at least ask her."

"No, I can't. All of this is beside the point, because there aren't supposed to be any personal relationships between us!"

"Says who?"

"Well… me."

His brother grinned. "Isn't that convenient? If you made the rule, you can break it, too."

"But it's there for a good reason! Emotional entanglements complicate everything to the point where they can completely screw things up."

"Do you really think it would be so bad?"

He gave his brother a serious look. "I don't know. All I know is that I'm not risking it. This isn't a game, Andrés. This is my _life's work_. I've been planning this for literal decades, and I'm not going to let anything disturb the delicate balance I've created." He continued more softly: "I owe it to Father."

Berlin nodded. "I know this is a very personal thing for you."

He looked up. "But it's no longer just _my _project, though. I've gotten nine people involved with it, and they all depend on me. I can't lose my focus. I can't afford any distractions. The slightest hitch could be the difference between life and death for someone. Emotions cloud your judgment, and I need my judgment unimpaired."

"But she's going to be in the control room with you. Don't you think your judgment will be clouded by all the unresolved feelings between you?"

He shook his head. "The heist is still months away. I'm sure I'll be over it by then. And if not…" He squared his shoulders. "Well, for years I planned to do this heist without her. I'm not saying she wouldn't be a valuable addition to the team, but I can dispense with her if I feel like she would distract me."

His brother was still looking doubtful, but he said: "Alright, fine. If you think this is the best way forward."

He nodded decisively. "I do. No personal relationships. I was a fool to become too friendly with her, to allow her even this close. From now on, I won't make that mistake again."

He got up, thanked his brother and went out. He threw one look at the light shining from underneath her door, then firmly turned around and went to his room. That night, he lay awake for hours again, and for the first time, he knew why.


	8. Trigger

When he woke up the next morning, it took him a moment to remember why he was feeling so miserable. Then the realization of the previous day hit him again, and he pressed his hands over his eyes and groaned. _Why_? Why did this have to happen to him _now_, when he was in the middle of the preparation of the most important event of his life? He took a deep breath and steeled himself. His determination of the night before hadn't faded: he would stay away from her, as much as that was possible while they were cooped up in this house together. They were no longer friends. He would eliminate this feeling no matter what. After all, it was just a matter of controlling his thoughts and emotions, and he should be capable of doing that.

He got up and started dressing. When he wanted to put on his jacket, he remembered that he'd left it in her room the night before, still wrapped around her shoulders. He felt a sudden stab of yearning for the moment _before _he'd realized he was in love with her, when he had been obliviously happy, when he could still give her his jacket without thinking that it might mean something more. He heaved a deep sigh and shook his head to clear it of any thoughts of her. Yet he still remembered that he had promised to give her a phone, so he opened the drawer where he kept his spares and went out into the hallway to find her. Before he could knock on her door, however, it opened and she came out. His heart started beating in his throat at the sight of her, but he pretended not to notice.

"Good morning, Professor", she said carefully.

He immediately felt guilty for snapping at her for using his name the night before. The next moment, however, he firmly pushed down the feeling and assumed a carefully neutral tone. He held out the phone to her.

"Good morning, Lisbon. I wanted to give you this. My number is already in there."

She took the phone from him and slipped it in her pocket. "Thank you." She looked up at him and took a deep breath. "About yesterday…"

He quickly said: "Yes, I meant to apologize for that. I was having a…" _An existential crisis. "_… a bad day, and I took it out on you. I shouldn't have. Of course you can go out walking as often as you like. Just take that phone with you from now on."

"I will", she nodded. "But what I wanted to say…"

"How's the ankle?" he interrupted her.

She frowned at him. "A little better. I still can't really put a lot of weight on it. Now _look…"_

He glanced at his watch. "It's time for breakfast."

Without waiting for her reaction, he turned around and went down the stairs, leaving her looking very confused.

…

She watched him walk away from her and frowned. What had just happened? She had just wanted to thank him for last night, and he'd cut her off every time she tried. She looked at her own watch – it was still twenty minutes until breakfast time, so why had he hurried off so suddenly? She returned to her room to put away the phone he'd given her, then she sat down on her bed to wait until it was time to go downstairs. As always happened lately when her mind was unoccupied, her thoughts strayed to Sergio. She smiled softly to herself at the memory that he'd come out to find her last night, that he'd been worried about her. His jacket was still hanging over the back of the chair next to her bed, and she reached out for a moment to stroke it. Then she sighed and pulled back her hand, shaking her head at her own foolishness. What was she doing?

She knew fully well what was happening: she was falling in love with him. She couldn't really believe it, after everything she'd been through, and with everything that was happening now, but she couldn't deny it any longer. She'd realized fairly early on that she was attracted to him, but she hadn't thought it would grow into anything more than that. When he had been the only one talk to her for weeks, she'd merely been grateful for his friendship. But the better she got to know him, the more she started to like him, in all his complexity – this man who was so stern and fiercely intellectual, yet awkward and soft at the same time, and so kind to her. It was his kindness that drew her to him so strongly, she thought. She had a sudden vivid recollection of Alberto, gripping her arm so tightly it hurt, his other hand raised for another slap. She shook her head to get rid of the image, as she felt a deep sense of certainty: Sergio would never do that.

Yet she realized all too well that, no matter what she was feeling, it couldn't go anywhere. She didn't think that he was absolutely indifferent to her, but she was sure that he'd keep to his rule of not having personal relationships with the members of his team. And besides that: what future could they have? They were here for another few months, but then there'd be the heist and they would go their separate ways. It was much better for her to just focus on the preparations, to try to make sure that the operation was a success, so she could get Paula back. That was the only important thing in her life right now. Yet when she thought about him, she couldn't help but smile. He might only be in her life for another couple of months, but that wouldn't stop her from enjoying the time she had with him.

It was time for breakfast now, and she slowly made her way downstairs, careful not to put too much weight on her injured ankle. She couldn't stop herself from wishing that Sergio would come and carry her again, her heart beating faster at the memory of last night. When she came to the table, she was disappointed to see that he'd seated himself between Berlin and Moscow, but she shrugged and sat down next to Nairobi, who immediately struck up a conversation. She couldn't help but notice that he didn't look at her once during breakfast, nor during their morning class. At lunch, he didn't sit down in the empty chair next to her, but on the other side of the table. When she approached him after lunch to talk to him, he suddenly left the room to go upstairs, and he didn't reappear until it was time for their afternoon class. She got the feeling that something was wrong, but she wasn't sure what it was and he didn't give her a chance to ask in the evening either.

When his strange behavior persisted all throughout the next day, she slowly began to realize that he was avoiding her on purpose, and she wondered why. In the evening, she bumped into him when she was coming out of the bathroom, and he muttered an apology without looking at her, then hurried off before she could say anything. Throughout the next three days, nothing changed, and she was starting to feel confused and upset. He wasn't unfriendly, exactly, but he wasn't friendly anymore either. In fact, he treated her as if there had never been any friendship between them at all, like she meant nothing to him, and she couldn't deny that it hurt her, she couldn't deny that she missed him.

She wondered what she could have possibly done wrong to deserve this indifference. On the evening of the third day, she lay awake thinking about him, and it suddenly struck her. He'd started acting weird that night when he'd carried her home: he'd snapped at her for using his name and he'd given her such a strange look, then hurried out of the room. She felt herself go red with embarrassment as she suddenly understood why. He must have realized that she was developing feelings for him, and that was why he was keeping her at a distance now – he didn't want to encourage her. Oh, this was mortifying! Had she really been so obvious? The next moment she realized that, yes, of course she'd been obvious. She'd been seeking him out at every opportunity, always sitting next to him, talking and laughing with him, asking him personal questions. She cringed at the thought of how she'd flirted with him – _she'd told him he had nice shoulders_, for crying out loud. She buried her face in her pillow. No wonder he was avoiding her. She sighed deeply and told herself that she needed to pull herself together. He didn't want any personal relationships, and she needed to respect that.

…

The past week had been hell. At least a dozen times a day, he silently cursed his brother for making him realize that he was in love with her, because now it was all he could think about. He'd always thought that he was firmly in control of himself, so he was alarmed to realize how untrue that was. His eyes sought her out automatically; his heart started beating faster whenever she was near; he couldn't control his breathing. It was a constant conscious effort to keep himself from looking at her, from talking to her, from straying close to her. It was as if she exerted a strong magnetic force on him, and he was exhausted from trying to resist it. He forced himself not to think of her, but while he was capable of controlling his thoughts during most of the day, she always snuck in the moment his guard was down: when he was falling asleep or just waking up, or when his mind was wandering. Somehow, it always wandered in her direction.

He was determined not to give in to his impulses, though. It was taking all his strength, but he needed to stay away from her. He just wished it wasn't making him feel so desperately unhappy. He hadn't anticipated how much he'd miss her – how much he'd miss her smiles, their talks, the simple fact of her nearness. On the third day after he'd carried her home, he'd found his jacket back in his room, carefully washed and ironed, with a post-it on it that simply said 'thank you', and it had almost made him cry. After a few days, he could see that she was hurt and confused by his change of attitude, and he hated himself for it, but he could see no other option. He needed to get rid of this feeling no matter what the cost. Yet the more he tried to push it away, the stronger it seemed to become.

…

During one afternoon class, he had them clear away all the desks in the classroom.

"You're going to be armed when you're in the Mint", he said. "That should be enough to keep the hostages under control. But there may be a time when, for whatever reason, you'll need to physically restrain someone. So today I'm going to teach you how to induce something called a 'syncope', where the restriction of blood flow to the brain results in the person passing out, which can be very useful."

He picked Rio for a demonstration and took hold of him with one arm.

"Grab the person from behind, like this, then press against the carotid sinus, here. Within a few heartbeats, the impaired blood flow to the brain will make them lose consciousness. Take care, because it means they'll fall, so you'll have to support them to the ground. Don't worry about safety: this isn't dangerous and it doesn't hurt. Now, pair up and let me see if you can find the right spot. Don't actually press too hard, I don't want anyone losing consciousness right now."

Helsinki grabbed Oslo, and Moscow Denver. Tokyo paired up with Nairobi, and Raquel took hold of Berlin, while Rio waited his turn. Sergio went by the different pairs one by one, and corrected their grip and the placement of their fingers. When he came to Raquel and Berlin, he didn't look her in the eye and he didn't touch her as he instructed her to move her fingers a little higher.

"Alright", he said. "Now switch."

He had just turned to Tokyo and Nairobi again when there was a sudden commotion around Raquel and Berlin and everybody started talking at once. Sergio hurried over to them – his brother was bent double, trying to catch a breath, while Raquel was backing away from him, eyes wide, her hands raised in apology.

"Oh my god", she said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"

"What happened?" Sergio asked sharply.

"She just elbowed him in the stomach!" Rio said, astonished.

Sergio turned to Raquel and asked in a softer tone: "What happened?"

"He… he grabbed me and… and…" She was beginning to shake, her breathing fast and shallow. "It was…"

Her entire body was trembling now as she looked around frantically.

"Oh god…" she whispered, "I felt… Alberto…"

Sergio suddenly understood.

"Everybody out", he ordered them, in such a tone that they obeyed him immediately.

As the door closed behind Berlin, he realized with a jolt that he was now alone in the room with her, and his first instinct was to leave, too, but the next moment he felt disgusted at himself. How could he be concerned with his own petty problems at a time like this? She needed a friend right now, and that was what he'd be. He approached her carefully, and she looked up at him with frightened eyes, still breathing much too fast.

"What's happening?" she gasped, panicking. "I… I can't breathe."

"You're hyperventilating", he said with a calm he didn't feel. "Don't worry, it's not dangerous, nothing bad is going to happen."

"My fingers are tingling", she whispered, and he noticed that she looked very pale.

"You're about to faint", he said, getting ready to catch her should she fall. "Sit down slowly."

She carefully lowered herself to the ground, then leaned against the wall. He crouched down in front of her so they were at eye level. His heart was pounding, but he kept his voice low and quiet.

"Lisbon", he said. "We're going to slow your breathing, okay?"

She made a noise of distress and closed her eyes tightly.

"You're going to be okay", he said. "I promise. Now don't close your eyes. Look at me."

She opened her eyes, and he calmly met her gaze.

"Good", he said softly. "Are you with me?"

She nodded, looking so scared that it made something contract inside his chest.

"The reason you're feeling like you're not getting enough air is, paradoxically, because you're breathing too fast, which causes a lack of carbon dioxide in your blood. We're going to slow your breathing, and then you're going to be fine. Alright?"

She nodded again, swallowing hard.

"Now purse your lips like you're going to whistle and breathe through them. We're going to count your breaths: four seconds in, then you hold your breath for three seconds, then seven seconds out. Okay? Here we go."

He counted the breaths for her, and though she struggled at first, he kept encouraging her until she managed to follow his rhythm. Slowly but surely, her breathing slowed, and as she went through several more counted breaths on her own, he kept talking to her.

"Good", he murmured. "That's it. You're going to be fine. You're safe. You're safe."

Finally he felt that she was calm enough to breathe normally again, and he told her so. Then he got up.

"Where are you going?" she immediately said, her eyes wide. "Don't leave me!"

He quickly crouched down again.

"I'm not going to leave you", he said softly. "I'll stay here with you for as long as you want. I was just going to open a window. Is that okay?"

She nodded, relieved, so he got up, opened the window, then returned to her. He hesitated for a moment, then he slowly sat down next to her against the wall, careful not to touch her.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Better", she sighed. "Thank you."

"Lisbon…"

She looked at him. "Please call me Raquel."

He took a deep breath. "Raquel. I'm so terribly sorry. I should have realized this exercise wasn't safe for someone with your… history."

"How much do you know?" she asked, rubbing shaking hands over her face. "When you – for lack of a better word – 'hired' me, you mentioned that the judge hadn't believed my allegations of domestic abuse. How did you know?"

"I got copies of the court transcripts", he admitted. "I read your testimony. I know all the facts."

She nodded, unsurprised. "Then you know he used to hit me."

"I do… Raquel, I'm so sorry."

She shook her head. "No, _I'm _sorry for making such a scene. God, what must the others think of me now? And poor Berlin, getting punched in the gut."

He gave her a gentle smile. "He'll survive. And the others won't think any less of you. You had a PTSD flashback, you couldn't help it."

"It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been Berlin", she whispered. "Really, anyone but him. He reminds me too much of Alberto."

"Why? Berlin is many things, but he's not physically violent."

She thought about it for a moment. "They both have a cold streak in them. They don't care if they hurt other people. The way he grabbed me, with such impersonal efficiency… Alberto rarely lost control – he was very methodical in his violence. He never bruised me in places that other people might see. Something about the way Berlin took hold of me reminded me so much of…"

She was starting to hyperventilate again, and he calmly guided her through a number of counted breaths again before she could continue.

"For a moment", she said softly, "I was right back there. I never fought back then, but now I couldn't help it. I've become so much angrier since the court case. I'm not sure I like the person I've become."

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall.

"I think you're an amazing person", he said quietly. "I think it's only normal that you're angry, after everything he did to you."

She opened her eyes and gave him a soft look. "You're kind to say that." She turned her head away from him again and her eyes got a faraway look. "It's funny. Afterwards you think: how could I have been so stupid? How could I not have seen what was happening while it was happening? But you're with someone you love and trust, and you don't see it. The first time he yelled at me, I didn't see it. People get angry sometimes. The first time he pushed me into a table and left a bruise, I didn't see it. Of course it was an accident. And that's how things gradually get worse, until one day you look around and you don't recognize your life. You're living in a nightmare and you don't remember how you got there."

Slow tears were trickling down her cheeks, but she seemed unaware of them. Seeing her like this was breaking his heart. He wanted to help her, but all he could do was listen, so that's what he did.

"You know, he used to hit me when I least expected it. Something small that I said or did would make him unreasonably angry, and out of nowhere, he'd hit me."

He could see that she was getting upset again. "Raquel… You don't have to tell me this."

She raised a hand. "No, please, I need to talk about it. I'd come out of the bathroom in the morning in a skirt that he deemed too short, and he'd hurt me. I'd talk to a male co-worker for too long and he'd hurt me. If I did or said anything wrong, I'd pay for it, often hours later, when I had already forgotten about it. It was so random, there was no pattern to it, it's not like he would get violent when he was drunk or anything. He was completely unpredictable. And after a while, you live in a constant state of fear, because you never know when the next slap is coming. People often think of abused women: why don't you just leave him? They don't realize how hard that is once the fear has taken over your life. Fear makes you weak. And weak people don't fight back. They lie down and they take the blows."

He looked at her as she spoke, and there was such an ache in his chest he could barely stand it. He couldn't believe that anyone could possibly bring themselves to hurt her.

"But you did fight back", he said gently. "You left him, you were strong."

She shook her head, more tears spilling down her cheeks. "I only did it for Paula. I could never have done it for myself. A year and a half of slowly escalating violence and humiliation will break you down to the point where there's almost nothing of you left. That was one of the hardest things after I eventually left him. I had to find myself again, figure out who I was without the fear, without my coping mechanisms. I never realized how much mental space was taken up by constantly worrying about him until I suddenly didn't have to worry anymore, and it left this gaping emptiness. But after a while, I started noticing things again. I started finding enjoyment again in the little things that I used to love. I felt like I'd been living under water and I was finally surfacing again – it was a slow process, but I was getting there. And then Alberto planted those drugs in my house and there was the arrest, the court case, the inquiry and the conviction, and it felt like I was thrown back into the water with my hands tied behind my back and I was sinking and sinking and sinking…" She turned her head to look at him. "… and then you saved me."

He was at a complete loss for words. He could only look at her as she continued, turning away from him again:

"I still don't feel fully alive again. I wonder if I ever will. But at least I'm living. At least I'm fighting. At least I'm free."

They sat in silence for a while. She was lost in thought, and he couldn't stop looking at her, an aching tenderness in his chest that threatened to overwhelm him. Finally she turned to him again.

"Sergio", she said softly, and his heart skipped a beat as she said his name. "I know this isn't your strong suit, but I could really use some human warmth right now. Nothing that will make you uncomfortable", she reassured him quickly. "I won't ask you to hug me or anything."

He gazed at her steadily. "Would you _want _me to hug you?"

She glanced at him. "Honestly? Yes, I would, but…"

He stood up and held out his hand to her. She hesitated, then took it, and he pulled her to her feet. They stood looking at each other for a moment, then he opened his arms and she walked into them, settling herself against him like she'd done it a million times before, circling her arms around him and leaning her head against his chest. He swallowed hard and, ever so carefully, wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She took a deep breath and relaxed against him, hugging him tighter, and after a first moment of panic, he felt a deep, joyful sense of _rightness_ settle over him. He didn't stop to examine it. He couldn't remember being hugged like this. He simply closed his eyes and allowed himself to savor the moment, the feeling of her, her solid warmth. He felt like his heart would burst.

Their embrace went on for moment after moment, and he didn't move, allowing her to decide how long she wanted it to last, wishing against his better judgment that it could last forever. Finally she let go of him, and he immediately felt a cold emptiness where she'd been. She looked up at him with soft eyes.

"Thank you", she whispered.

"Anytime", he murmured, and he meant it.

She hesitated, then said: "Sergio… for the past week or so, there's been a distance between us, and I'm not sure why, but… it's been difficult for me."

He swallowed hard but stayed silent, and she continued carefully:

"I know you're a very private person, and I don't want to ask too much of you, but… I really value your friendship."

He suddenly felt like a terrible person for being so cold to her. "I value your friendship too", he whispered.

She gave him a pleading look. "Then can we go back to the way things were? Please? I… I don't think I can do this without you."

God help him, how could he say no to her when she was looking at him like that? She needed him and, he suddenly realized, he needed her too. He'd missed her so much over the past few days. He desperately wanted things to go back to the way they'd been before – he knew he shouldn't, he knew he should resist, but he couldn't bear it anymore. She was offering him a way to repair the damage and he took it.

"I'm sorry for pushing you away", he said quietly. "I was… struggling with something, but now I realize I've been foolish. I would very much like to be friends again… if you can forgive me?"

She gave him such a sweet smile that it took his breath away. "Of course."

They stood looking at each other for a long moment, and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms again, but then he shook himself and noticed how exhausted she looked.

"You must be tired", he said, and she nodded. "No more classes for you today. Go to your room and lay down for a bit. Take a nap if you can. I'll come and call you when dinner's ready."

She nodded again and moved across the room. At the door, she looked back at him, and it looked like she was going to say something, but then she changed her mind and left. As the door closed behind her, he let himself fall into a chair and buried his face in his hands. Why did she affect him so much? He knew he should have been stronger, he knew he shouldn't have given in, but all he could feel right now was an overwhelming joy at the thought of being able to talk to her again. He took a deep breath and considered the situation. Maybe it was better this way. He'd thought it would be better for his focus to stay away from her, yet over the past week, so much of his mental energy had been directed towards not thinking about her. Maybe it was actually better to just accept his feelings for what they were – it didn't mean that he had to act on them. They could never be more than friends, but her friendship would be enough for him. He was sure he could find an appropriate balance between the personal and the entirely impersonal. A curious lightness settled over him as he reached his decision, and, feeling happier than he had all week, he got up and went downstairs to find the others.


	9. Rain

Over the next few days, they went back to normal – except not really. After she'd opened up to him, there was a new closeness between them, and he was constantly struggling to keep her at an appropriate distance while all his impulses and desires pushed him in the opposite direction. He was acutely, painfully aware of her at all times. Even when he wasn't looking at her, he knew where she was in the room, who she was talking to, how she was standing or sitting. When she was near him, he was aware of every inch of distance between them, every millimeter separating his skin from hers. They usually sat next to each other at mealtimes again, and every time her elbow brushed against his, or their knees touched under the table, it went through him like a jolt of electricity. Once, during dinner, she put her hand on his sleeve to get his attention, just for a moment, but he felt the place her hand had been for hours afterwards. Often when she talked to him, he found himself unable to focus on her words because he was so distracted by the curve of her mouth, the depth in her eyes, the texture of her skin.

He started developing strategies and rules to follow in order to stay within the bounds of what friendship would allow. One out of every four meals, he would sit down next to other members of the team. During classes, he only allowed himself to look at her every few minutes. In the evenings, he made sure they were never the last two to stay up, and he stopped asking her to practice negotiations with him. He avoided going anywhere near her bedroom door, afraid that he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to knock. For a while, he tried limiting all his conversations with her to fifteen minutes, but he enjoyed talking to her so much that he quickly gave that up as a lost cause.

All in all, it was a relief when he took Rio into Madrid one day to set up the screens and software in the hangar he would use as their center of operations. For a full day, he was spared the sweet agony of her presence, and for the first time in weeks, he was able to fully give his attention to the things he was doing. And yet, on the drive back home, he couldn't wait to see her again.

The next Saturday morning, Tokyo, Rio, Nairobi and Denver came to him after breakfast and begged to get the afternoon off.

"We've been having classes all day every day for weeks now, Professor", Tokyo said. "We need some time to relax."

"You can relax as much as you want after the heist", he said. "Your entire lives, in fact. But now you need to focus."

"But we're exhausted", Rio complained.

"This is worse than school", Denver grumbled. "And I hated school."

"We'll be able to focus much better tomorrow if we've had some time to chill", Nairobi added.

He sighed and looked around at them, then relented. "Fine. No class this afternoon."

They cheered and told the rest of the team, all of whom looked rather relieved, too, and Sergio felt like maybe it had been the right thing to do after all. After lunch, though, he felt rather lost, until Raquel came up to him and smiled.

"So", she said. "How much are you hating this?"

"Well", he said, "I must admit that I don't like this disruption of our routine."

"Can we afford to lose this time?"

"Fortunately, we can. We're a bit ahead of schedule."

"Good", she said, then her eyes got a dreamy look. "It's nice to have the afternoon off, but I wish I could get out of the house for a while."

"Why don't I take you into Madrid and show you the control room?" he suggested without thinking, then was hit by instant regret as he realized that it meant they would have to spend the entire afternoon alone together. The very thought made him feel uncomfortably hot around the collar.

It was too late to take it back though: her eyes were shining with enthusiasm.

"Yes!" she said. "I'd love to see the control room, and you can explain to me how everything works."

"Alright", he said. "Uhm, let me ask the others if any of them want to come with us."

The rest of the team, however, showed no interest at all in a control room they would never set foot in until the very end of the heist. It was a hot, humid day, and nobody felt like doing anything except lie around in the shade and relax, so Sergio reluctantly got into the car with just Raquel, who seemed happy and excited at the prospect of getting off the grounds for the first time in weeks.

She eyed him closely as they drove off. "Are you alright?"

"Yes", he said, though he felt a dizzying mixture of joy and nervousness at the thought of spending an entire afternoon in her company.

"You look a little tense."

"Do I?"

"Yes, but I understand why."

"You do?" he asked, alarmed.

"Up in the house, we're in our own small bubble and the heist feels very far off", she said softly. "But going into town makes it all feel much more real, doesn't it?"

"Yes", he sighed in relief. "That's it exactly."

They drove along in silence for a while, then she started talking about the morning's class, asking follow-up questions and talking through some of the finer points of the plan. As always, she surprised him with her insightful comments and dedication, and time flew by – it seemed next to no time before the suburbs of Madrid came into view.

As they drove into the city, dark clouds started gathering, and he had to focus all of his attention on the road as a heavy rain began to fall, reducing the visibility and the speed of the traffic. They slowly drove into the city center and he was lucky enough to find a parking space right in front of the hangar, so they could hurry straight inside without getting wet.

As the door of the hangar closed behind them, she looked around with raised eyebrows.

"This is it?"

"Yes", he said, "this is it."

She turned to him. "You expect me to spend ten days in this place? Look at how dark and damp it is! There's actual puddles on the floor!"

"Oh", he said, looking around. "I hadn't really noticed that."

She snorted. "I'm sure you hadn't. Well, we're just going to have to come back a few times to clean it up a little."

"Is that really necessary? The decorations aren't exactly the most important thing about this operation."

"I'm not even talking about decorations, I'm talking about basic things like keeping my feet dry. Alright, you can explain the computer stuff to me today, but next time we're coming back with some buckets and a mop."

They picked their way through the puddles to the tables where the computers were set up, and he was pretty sure he could hear her mutter "_men"_ under her breath as she looked around at the sparse furniture. The rain pattered loudly on the roof as he explained everything to her, and she listened attentively. Afterwards, she wanted to go for a drink at a nearby café, but he insisted they head back home.

As they drove out of the city and back onto the country lanes, the rain came down heavier – an absolute downpour out of huge black clouds that reduced visibility to almost nothing. Sergio kept going for as long as he dared, but finally he drew the car over and stopped by the side of the road.

"I can't drive in this", he said, dismayed. "I can barely see where I'm going."

Raquel looked outside and frowned. "We can't stay here for too long either, though. The road is flooding."

She took out her phone and typed in 'weather forecast', then looked up at him with wide eyes. "They say it's going to be like this for the rest of the night."

He cursed softly.

She considered the situation. "We can't possibly drive all the way back to the house through this, and we're already too far away from Madrid to return to the hangar."

"I agree", he said. "So what do you think we should do?"

She was on her phone again. "There's a small village only a few miles from here. If you drive very slowly, I think we should be able to make it there."

"And then what?"

"There's a hotel."

He stared at her. "You want to stay the night there?"

"Well, what else do you propose? We can't drive faster than walking pace through this, so making our way back to the house would take all night, and it would be really dangerous, especially when it gets dark. Even if we take turns, it would be exhausting. I don't think we should risk it."

All sorts of alarms were going off inside his brain – hotels were places where… _things_… happened – but unfortunately, her logic was pretty solid. Their only other option would be to sleep in the car, and how could he defend that to her if there was a much better solution available?

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, tell me how to drive."

They crawled through the curtain of falling water at a snail's pace, and it took them almost an hour to drive the few miles to the village. The street in front of the hotel was full of cars, and they had to park at quite a distance. They looked at each other in dismay.

"You don't happen to have an umbrella in the trunk, do you?" Raquel asked hopefully, but he shook his head.

She shrugged. "Well, then there's nothing for it. We'll just have to run."

They both steeled themselves, then opened the car doors and hurried out. Sergio gasped as the icy rain hit him – in the few seconds that it took to lock the car door, he was already soaked down to his skin.

"Come on!" Raquel called to him, and they ran together through the downpour to the door of the hotel.

Once inside, they leaned against the wall in the entrance, panting, shivering, dripping water all over the carpet. Then they walked into the lobby, where a line of people was waiting at the concierge desk, clearly there under the same circumstances as they were.

As they waited, Raquel looked around appreciatively.

"This is a really nice hotel."

Sergio nodded. It was clearly an old building, but very well maintained, and the wooden beams in the walls and ceiling gave the place a rather charming atmosphere.

The line shrank slowly and finally it was their turn.

"Two rooms, please", Sergio said to the stressed-looking concierge.

"Only one room left, I'm afraid", the woman said. "People have been pouring in off the street ever since that rain started."

He suddenly felt very warm despite his soaked clothes. "Only… only one room?"

He glanced at Raquel, who smiled at him as she shivered.

"It's okay, I don't mind. As long as I can take a hot shower."

Sergio turned reluctantly back to the concierge. "Alright, we'll take it."

"It's our most expensive suite", the concierge said apologetically.

He sighed. "Fine. It's not like we have much of a choice."

They took their room key and headed up the stairs. As he opened the door, Sergio stopped dead. The room was truly exquisite, with soft, plush carpets, elegant curtains, a beautiful wooden fourposter bed and a big fireplace with a roaring fire. A vase full of roses was arranged on a warm mahogany desk. There was only one way to describe this damn room, and that was – he groaned inwardly – _fucking romantic_.

Raquel didn't seem to have any of his reservations – she pushed past him and hurried to stand in front of the fireplace, shivering uncontrollably.

"Oh", she sighed. "This is nice."

He reluctantly closed the door, and didn't advance any further into the room. She looked up at him.

"Aren't you _cold_? God, that rain was freezing. Do you want to shower first?"

"No", he said. "Go ahead."

She disappeared into the bathroom, then called out to him:

"Well, the good thing about this expensive suite is that it comes with all sorts of extras. Sadly not dry clothes, of course, but there's bathrobes and soaps and toothbrushes and stuff."

He went to stand in front of the fire as she closed the bathroom door and he heard her turn on the shower. He tried – he really tried! – not to think of her under the shower, then decided that he'd better distract himself by calling his brother and letting him know they weren't coming home that night.

"Yes", Berlin said, "I agree that you shouldn't drive in this weather. Where are you staying?"

"In a hotel we found along the way."

He could clearly hear the grin in his brother's voice. "You know, nobody would blame you if you took advantage of the situation."

He stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're out of the house… a little privacy… how about you knock on her door tonight and just see what happens?"

"I can't knock on her door", he mumbled. "We're in the same room."

Berlin laughed. "And I thought my little brother needed my guidance. Sounds like you've arranged things very nicely."

"I haven't _arranged_ anything", Sergio bristled. "There was only one room left."

"Well, didn't that work out perfectly?"

"Nothing _worked out, _Andrés, I'm not going to sleep with her!"

"Fine, it's your call. It just seems to me like a waste of a perfectly good opportunity."

Sergio sighed as he hung up. Great, now he felt even more awkward. He just hoped she didn't also think that he was going to make a move on her – he would hate for her to feel uncomfortable in his presence.

A few minutes later, she came out of the bathroom in a soft-looking bathrobe. She took a chair and put it in front of the fireplace, then began arranging her wet clothes over it so they could dry. It wasn't until he saw her underwear, too, that he suddenly realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath her robe. It flustered him so much that he quickly fled into the bathroom.

The hot water washed away the chill he was feeling, but not the embarrassment. He desperately wanted out of this situation, but since that wasn't possible, he supposed he would just have to try to keep things as professional as possible. Coming out of the shower, he wanted nothing more than to put on his clothes again, but they were so wet that it really wasn't an option. He wrung them out in the tub as best he could, then put on the second bathrobe. He put on his underwear first, though. Even though it was damp, there was _no way_ he was going to be in a room with her while only wearing a robe.

When he came out of the bathroom, she was sitting in front of the fireplace with her arms around her knees, staring dreamily into the flames. He took the second chair and placed it next to hers, draping his clothes over it to dry. Then he sat down on the bed, as far away from her as possible. She turned around so her back was to the fire, and he tried not to notice her bare legs, her damp hair falling over her shoulders, the way her robe fell open to reveal a bit of cleavage.

"I'm sorry", she said.

He frowned. "What are you sorry for?"

"I know you don't like people in your personal space, and tonight, for all intents and purposes, this room is your personal space."

"You've been in my room before."

She grinned. "Yes, but only for a little while, and back then we were both in a… more advanced state of dress."

He felt himself go red, and she laughed. "Don't worry, this fire will dry our clothes in no time."

It felt like an eternity to him, though, and he felt an immeasurable sense of relief when she finally disappeared into the bathroom with her clothes and came out fully dressed again. He felt even better when he could do the same ten minutes later. Feeling like his balance was more or less restored, they went out of the room together to check out the hotel restaurant. Neither of them wanted to go outside again to look for a different place to eat.

The dining room was packed with other guests, and they had to wait for a while for a table to open up. When they sat down and ordered, Sergio started feeling a little more at ease again, and they made light conversation as they waited for their food. Then, just after the waiter had brought their plates, there was a rumble of thunder outside and all the lights went out.

"Oh!" Sergio heard Raquel say across the table from him. "Power outage. Must be because of the weather."

All across the dining room, guests were taking out their cell phones to use the flashlight, but soon waiters started coming in with candles that they put on every table. Raquel flashed him a grin as a waiter brought them their candles.

"Looks like we're in for a romantic evening."

Sergio felt like he wanted to sink through the floor and disappear. Why, why, _why _did this have to happen to him? She seemed to pick up on his discomfort, because she leaned across the table and put a light hand on his.

"Sergio", she said softly. "Relax."

He swallowed hard. How could he possibly relax when she was touching him? The next moment, though, she withdrew her hand and focused on her food. He tried to do the same, but it was so hard to eat when she was sitting in front of him, her face so lovely in the candlelight that he couldn't look away.

After dinner, the waiters urged them to each take a candle upstairs for light. They made their way up to their room in silence. In their absence, someone had been in to stoke the fire, because it was burning more brightly than before, giving the room a soft golden glow. Sergio put his candle down on a bedside table, then took a pillow from the bed and dropped it onto the floor.

"What are you doing?" she said sharply.

He looked up at her, confused. "Sleeping on the floor."

She gave him an exasperated look. "Don't be ridiculous. Have you seen how big this bed is?"

"Honestly", he said, "I don't mind, the carpet is quite soft."

"Then why don't _I _sleep on the floor?" she said.

He stared at her. "No, that wouldn't be right."

"Why not?" she said, amused. "Because I'm a woman? That's pretty sexist."

He didn't know how to respond to that. She took another pillow off the bed and dropped it on the floor at her side. He got annoyed.

"Look, I'm not letting you sleep on the floor, alright?"

"Then why should _I _let _you _sleep on the floor?"

"Because… because…"

She grinned at him. "Either we're both sleeping in this bed, or neither of us is. I demand equality."

He stared at her in disbelief, then grumpily threw his pillow back onto the bed. "Oh, you're impossible!"

She picked up her own pillow with a smile. "Yes, saving you from a sleepless night of back pain, I'm a terrible person."

She took off the shirt she was wearing over her black top, then started to unbutton her pants.

"What are you doing?" he said, alarmed.

She looked at him in surprise. "I'm not sleeping in my jeans, I'd never get comfortable."

He quickly averted his eyes as she stepped out of her pants and into the bed.

"Come on", she said. "Get in."

He took off his jacket and tie, but stubbornly kept on his shirt and pants. It felt weird to get between the sheets fully clothed, but there was no way in hell he was taking off anything else. He carefully lay down at the very edge of the mattress, and she threw him an amused look.

"Would you like me to build a pillow barrier between us?"

He privately thought that that was an excellent idea, but he realized just in time that she was being sarcastic. He didn't deign to respond.

"Goodnight", he said stiffly, blowing out his candle.

"Goodnight", she smiled, and turned to her side so she was facing away from him.

He was just starting to relax, when she suddenly turned back to him and he startled so badly that he fell out of bed.

She sat up, alarmed. "Oh, for crying out loud, Sergio! Are you okay?"

"Yes", he mumbled, more embarrassed than he'd ever been in his life, and that was saying something. He scrambled to his feet, but didn't get back into the bed. In the light of the fire, he could see her frown at him, then a softer look appeared on her face.

"Look", she said gently. "I'm sorry this is making you so uncomfortable. If you really think you'd feel better sleeping on the floor, then go ahead."

He hesitated. He was trying at all costs to avoid making her feel uncomfortable, but she didn't seem to mind this nearly as much as he did, and he suddenly felt ridiculous.

"No", he said, "I'll sleep in the bed."

"Alright", she said. "But get in _properly _this time. You can't fall out of bed every time I make a sudden movement."

He got back in and shifted slightly to the middle. She eyed him critically.

"A little more", she said, and he sighed and shifted about half an inch further towards her. When she gave him a stern look, he added another inch to that. Finally she seemed satisfied. She turned on her side again and, after a few minutes, he noticed that her breathing became deep and even, and he knew that she was asleep.

He lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling. He wasn't even going to _try _to sleep – he knew full well that that would be a lost cause when she was so close to him. He turned his head and glanced at her. How could he possibly fall asleep when she was so close he could just reach out his hand and touch her? As he was watching her, she shifted onto her back, turning her face in his direction, and as the firelight played over her skin, she looked so lovely and serene that it took his breath away. He knew he shouldn't be staring at her while she slept, but he just couldn't help himself. The moment felt so soft and intimate, and he felt so privileged to be allowed to see her like this.

The next moment, however, she shifted again, and before he knew what was happening, she'd turned onto her side facing him and draped an arm over his chest. He froze as she shifted closer to him and rested her face against his shoulder. His eyes were wide with panic and his heart started beating frantically. What the _hell _was she doing? Was she doing this on purpose? He eyed her closely… no, she seemed to still be sleeping soundly. He suddenly realized that she was used to sleeping next to someone – she probably thought he was her husband.

His mind was racing. What was he supposed to do now? He didn't want to wake her – that would be so awkward for both of them. The only thing he could do was just lie still until she turned around again. He was careful not to move a muscle, but after a while he couldn't help but become aware of how nice it felt to have her so close to him, to have her arm around him, to feel the warmth of her skin even through his shirt. He couldn't keep himself from wondering what it would be like to sleep next to her every night, to hold her in his arms as he drifted off to sleep. He could hardly imagine being lucky enough to be the person to wake up next to her every morning.

She turned her head slightly, and a lock of hair fell over her face. Without thinking about it, he lifted a hand and carefully brushed it away. The next moment, he froze as she stirred, opened her eyes and lifted her head in confusion. She looked up at him, her gaze soft with sleep, her dark eyes even darker in the half-light of the fire.

"Sergio?" she said softly.

"Yes", he answered, a whisper all he could manage.

She looked into his eyes for a long moment, and he was acutely aware of the fact that she was still pressed against him, her arm still over his chest, and her face so close to his that he would only have to lift his head to…

With a jolt, she suddenly seemed to wake up properly, and her eyes widened in alarm as she hurriedly scrambled backwards.

"Oh my god", she said, turning so red that he could see her blush even in the near-darkness. "Oh my god, I'm _so sorry_."

"It's alright", he said, feeling more disappointment than embarrassment. "You just turned around in your sleep."

"Oh, I'm mortified", she groaned. "I'll go sleep on the floor now."

She moved to get out of bed, and he quickly reached out to take hold of her wrist. "No, don't, please. I… I really didn't mind."

"But I was already invading your personal space just by being in the same _room _as you, and now I…"

"Please", he repeated quietly, not letting go of her wrist. "Please stay in bed."

She hesitated, then settled herself back between the sheets.

"I'm sorry", she said again.

"Don't be", he said.

He still hadn't let go of her wrist. She glanced down and he quickly released her, and she lay down again, facing him. She was quiet for a while, but she didn't close her eyes, and he patiently waited for her to speak.

"I did that subconsciously", she finally said.

"I know", he replied.

"I just miss it sometimes", she whispered.

"What?"

"Sleeping next to someone. It's so weird to sleep alone again after so many years of always having someone in the bed with you."

"I can imagine."

"Don't you miss it?"

He shrugged. "You can't miss something you've never done."

"You don't mean… _never_?"

He shook his head. "Not since I was very small."

"But you told me you'd had relationships?"

"I've dated a few women, but I've never felt comfortable enough to sleep in the same bed as someone else."

She raised herself up on an elbow. "You mean… I'm the first person _ever _you've shared a bed with as an adult?"

"Yes", he nodded. "I suppose you are."

She stared at him, speechless, then burst out laughing. "Oh god, and so far you've fallen out of bed, you've been cuddled against your will and you still haven't slept a wink. This must be a terrible experience for you."

He felt himself go slightly red. "It hasn't been that bad", he murmured.

She laughed again. "That's very polite of you."

She lay down. "Well. Shall we try this again? If I touch you again, just push me away, okay?"

"Okay", he said, privately thinking that it would take a much stronger man than he was to have the resolve to push her away.

"Goodnight, Sergio", she whispered.

"Goodnight", he replied softly.

This time, he turned himself onto his side so he was facing away from her. He lay awake for a long time yet, half hoping that she would curl up against him again, but she stayed on her own side of the bed now, and after a while, he fell asleep.

The next morning, he woke up before she did. He felt confused for a while as to where he was, and he felt a sharp stab of panic as his eyes fell on Raquel sleeping peacefully beside him, then the events of the previous day came back to him and he calmed down again. The rain outside had stopped and a watery ray of sunshine was making its way through the curtains to fall on her face. He gave her a long look, then he shook his head at himself for staring at her and got out of bed to shower. When he came out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later, she was just waking up.

"Good morning", she said, stretching luxuriously. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Yes, I did", he said, noting privately how lovely she looked with her hair all tousled and her eyes still soft with sleep.

She got up and showered too, then they got ready to go to breakfast. Before she opened the door of the room, she turned to him.

"Thank you for stopping me from sleeping on the floor", she said.

"Well", he said. "Likewise."

She smiled. "I'm sorry your first time sleeping next to someone had to be with me."

"No", he said quietly. "I'm glad it was you."

Her eyes lit up so beautifully it made his heart skip a beat. She reached out and brushed her fingers against his hand, and for a second he felt an overwhelming desire to take her into his arms, but the next moment she'd turned away from him and walked out the door. She looked back as she realized he wasn't following her.

"Come on", she said. "Breakfast. And then we need to get back to the house."

He realized suddenly that he hadn't thought about the others or the heist for twelve hours. He sternly shook his head at himself as he followed her down the stairs. She wasn't good for him. He would have to try harder to maintain his focus. Yet he was alarmed to find that there was a part of him that didn't _want _to focus on the heist anymore, a part of him that wanted only to focus on _her_, that wanted nothing in the world except to sleep next to her again. He firmly pushed it away with the unsettling feeling that, slowly but surely, she was unraveling him. He didn't know what to do about that. He only knew that being apart from her was not an option anymore.


	10. Care

They were having a discussion over whose turn it was to do the cooking. Berlin and Moscow had prepared lunch, so they kept out of it, but the others were arguing.

"I prepared dinner yesterday _and _the day before", Raquel said. "It's someone else's turn now."

"I'm sure it's Denver and Rio's turn", Nairobi said. "They haven't been in the kitchen in days."

"We did the shopping!" Rio said. "We shouldn't do the shopping _and _prepare dinner in the same day, it's not fair!"

"We need a schedule", Sergio said quietly. "You're having this discussion every couple of days. I'll draw up a roster so everyone takes their turn fairly."

"You know Professor", Tokyo said suddenly. "I haven't seen _you _in the kitchen yet."

"He's the boss", Denver said. "He shouldn't cook."

"I don't agree with that _at all_," Tokyo said. "We're all in this house together. We all need to eat. It's only fair that we all take a turn at cooking, _including _our mastermind."

"I agree", Nairobi said. "No special treatment for anyone, we're a team."

They all looked at Sergio, who felt himself turn red. "But… I don't know how to cook."

Rio grinned. "Neither did we, but we made it work. You can look up instructions online, it's not that hard."

"I'll help you", Raquel said, and Sergio's heart leaped.

"You shouldn't", Tokyo said. "You've already cooked two days in a row."

"I don't mind", Raquel shrugged. "I'd rather help him than have him completely screw up the food."

Sergio grimaced, but he knew she made a fair point. He followed her gratefully into the kitchen and Raquel turned to him.

"Question: do you really not know how to cook or were you just trying to get out of having to do it?"

"I really don't know", he admitted.

"But you lived alone for most of your adult life, right?"

"Yes."

She stared at him. "Then what did you eat?"

He shrugged. "It never really mattered that much to me. Bread and cheese. Warmed up soup from a packet. Take-out. Oh, and I can make eggs."

"Congratulations", she said, amused. "In other words, you're going to be no use at all."

"I'm afraid not", he said, embarrassed.

She turned and opened the cupboards.

"Well, let's see what those boys brought from the store and what we can make of it." She raised her eyebrows and took out bunch after bunch of tomatoes. "Okay, lots of tomatoes, and a bunch of other vegetables in the fridge… How about pasta with tomato sauce?"

"Fine", he said. He pulled out his phone and typed 'tomato sauce' into Google.

She got out a few pots and pans, two cutting boards and two knives. Then she started chopping onions.

"What are you doing?" he said.

She looked at him, confused. "Cooking?"

"Don't you need a recipe?"

"I think I can manage a simple sauce."

"Without any instructions at all?"

She shot him an amused look. "I've been cooking for twenty years, I think I know what I'm doing."

"Are you using a recipe you've memorized?"

"No", she laughed. "Cooking really isn't an exact science. You just throw some stuff together and see if it tastes good."

He stared at her in horror. "That's madness. What if it's bad?"

"It won't be bad."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Experience. Now make yourself useful and cut those tomatoes."

He hesitated. "How?"

She threw him a disbelieving look. "With a _knife_, genius."

"I know _that_", he bristled. "But do I cut them into slices or cubes or rectangles or…"

"Just… into pieces", she said. "It doesn't matter what shape."

"Big pieces or small pieces?"

"Small pieces."

"How small exactly?"

She rolled her eyes. "_Jesus_, it doesn't matter! Just… dice them, okay?"

"I just want to do it right", he muttered.

"There's really no way to do it wrong", she smiled. "Relax."

He washed the tomatoes, then cut into one. After a few seconds, however, he stopped.

"What?" she said patiently.

"This is a nightmare", he complained. "How do you cut something round into even pieces?"

She stared at him, then burst out laughing. "Oh, you are priceless. They don't have to be even. Come on, hurry up. I'm going to need those tomatoes in a minute."

He sighed and resigned himself to producing uneven pieces as he cut tomato after tomato while she chopped the rest of the vegetables at a much higher speed.

"You know what's weird?" she said after a while.

"What?"

"Tokyo has been really polite to me lately."

"Yes", he said, "I noticed. Do you know why?"

"I noticed a change after I slapped her across the face in that paintball game." She grinned. "I think I should have done it sooner."

He laughed. "I still can't believe you actually slapped her."

"She shot you! What did you expect me to do?"

He still got a warm feeling every time he thought back at how angry she'd gotten on his behalf.

"Well", he smiled. "Thank you for avenging me."

Her eyes were sparkling. "I'd avenge you anytime. Especially if it involves hitting Tokyo."

"You really don't like each other, do you?"

"Look, I don't have a problem with Tokyo, Tokyo has a problem with _me_."

He shot her a quick sideways look, amused. "You don't have a problem with Tokyo?"

She sighed. "Alright, maybe she's not my favorite person. She just has such an abrasive personality. And I really don't think she's good for Rio."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you _are _aware that they're sleeping together, right?"

"_What_?" he yelped, looking up sharply, and his knife slipped and cut deeply into his hand.

The next moment, there was blood everywhere. The pain was so sharp that it took his breath away, but Raquel cursed, grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him over to the sink, where she turned on the tap and held his hand under the water. Even through the pain, he was acutely aware of her fingers on his wrist.

"Well", she said drily. "You weren't kidding when you said you couldn't cook."

"You startled me!" he said indignantly. "Are… are Tokyo and Rio really sleeping together?"

She raised her eyebrows and looked at him in surprise. "You didn't know?"

"No, of course not!"

She laughed. "God you're oblivious."

He threw her a dark look, then withdrew his hand from under the tap and examined it. There was a long, deep gash at the base of his thumb, and blood kept seeping from it in a steady trickle.

He grimaced. "I think this is going to need stitches."

She perked up. "Oh, excellent!"

He raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I didn't mean it that way", she quickly amended. "It's just that you taught us to stitch last week and I've been wanting to try it out on something other than the bananas you gave us."

He cradled his hand protectively. "I'm not letting you stitch my hand."

"Well, we can't go to the hospital", she reasoned. "And would you rather one of the others did it?"

Sergio remembered Tokyo's sloppy work and Denver's absolute bungling.

"No", he said reluctantly. "I suppose you were the best at it."

"You're damn right I was", she nodded. "Come on, up to the bathroom. You're bleeding all over the kitchen and it's not hygienic."

They went out into the dining room, where the others were sitting at the table.

"Wow, what happened?" Nairobi asked, as she saw the blood trickling down Sergio's wrist.

"I stabbed him", Raquel said. "He was annoying me. Can someone take over in the kitchen? I've got to stitch up our beloved leader."

Berlin got up and disappeared into the kitchen, and Raquel led Sergio up the stairs to the bathroom, where their medical supplies were. He sat down on the edge of the bathtub, and she took out the first aid box.

"There's a lidocaine spray in there", he said. "If you're going to perform a test run of your newly minted stitching abilities on my hand, I'd rather not feel it."

"Fine", she said, rummaging through the box.

She took out the things she needed and arranged them all on a clean towel on the floor. Then she kneeled down in front of him.

"God", he groaned. "It really hurts."

She looked up at him with a sparkle in her eyes. "Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?"

He felt himself go red at the thought, but he tried to maintain his dignity. "You know, you shouldn't make fun of me. I'm very hurt."

"Yes", she grinned. "Bravely injured in the Tomato Wars."

He suppressed a smile and noticed that, despite her teasing, she took hold of his hand with the utmost care. She sprayed a liberal amount of lidocaine on the cut, then she sat back on the floor while they waited for the anesthetic to start working.

He cleared his throat. "Look… are you sure about Tokyo and Rio?"

She nodded. "Quite. They're not particularly subtle."

"But… but there aren't supposed to be any personal relationships between the members of the team!"

"Yes, I know, you've made that abundantly clear."

He groaned. "Oh, this is bad."

She considered him for a moment, then asked: "Why?"

"_Why_?"

"Yes, why is this such a bad thing?"

"I want to run a clean operation. Emotions make things messy."

"You're putting ten people in a house together for five months. What did you expect was going to happen? That no emotional attachments were going to be formed at all?"

He hesitated, and she exclaimed: "That's really what you thought? My dear Professor, have you ever even interacted with humans at all?"

"We're all adults", he grumbled. "Is it too much to ask for a little restraint?"

"Restraint?" she said, amused. "From _Tokyo_? Now you and me, we can control ourselves, but…"

"You and me?" he said sharply.

"I mean… just as an example", she said quickly. "Because we're mature adults."

He was silent for a while, then he sighed. "I suppose I'll have to talk to them."

"And say what? 'Stop fucking'?"

"Well… yes."

"And how are you going to check up on that?" she laughed. "Are you going to sleep out in the hallway so they can't sneak into each other's rooms?"

"They're both adults. I'm sure they'll understand the situation if I sit them down and explain it to them."

"Rio is _barely _an adult", she said. "And I don't think Tokyo qualifies for that label either."

"But then", he said, exasperated, "what am I supposed to do?"

She considered him for a while. "It's the emotions that bother you?"

"Yes."

"If they were just sleeping together and it didn't mean anything, that would be okay?"

He hesitated. "It's still not ideal, but yes, that would be less bad."

"Well", she said simply, "then there's nothing you can do. Any feelings they may or may not have for each other won't go away if they stop sleeping together. You could, _maybe_, get them to stop fucking, but you can't control the way people feel."

He was quiet for a moment. He'd very recently found out how true that was. "So what do you suggest?"

"Let them do whatever the hell they want. I think Tokyo might give you much more trouble if you took away her toy than if you let her keep it."

"What is she, a cat?"

"No", Raquel said drily. "She's a tiger. And she can do a lot of damage to the operation if you antagonize her."

He was silent for a while as he processed all of that. He didn't like it at all, but he couldn't deny that Raquel had a lot more people skills than he did, and he felt like he should respect her expertise and follow her advice.

"How does your hand feel?" she asked.

"Much better", he sighed. "I don't feel anything anymore. I think you can start stitching."

She was very careful as she took hold of his hand and set to work. He couldn't feel a thing, but he still didn't like the look of the needle piercing his skin, so instead he looked at her face as she was focused on her task. He loved looking at her, and he was glad to have an opportunity to just stare at her for several minutes without her noticing. Finally, she had produced a neat row of stitches.

"There", she said. "All done."

She sprayed some disinfectant on the stitched cut, then very carefully wiped away the blood on his palm and wrist with some cotton wool. Then she ran a light finger over the inflamed skin next to the cut, so tenderly that it produced an ache in his chest.

"I hope it won't scar too badly", she said softly. "You have such nice hands, it would be a pity."

"I don't think it will", he murmured. "You did a good job."

"Thanks", she smiled, brushing a lock of hair away from her face, leaving a smudge of blood on her cheek.

"Oh", he said. "Let me just…"

He reached out his uninjured hand and brushed his thumb over her cheek, wiping the blood away. She looked up at him, and something in his eyes seemed to strike her, because she didn't say anything and she didn't look away. For several breathless moments, they just looked at each other, then she seemed to shake herself and averted her eyes.

"Let's put a bandage over that cut", she said briskly.

She didn't look at him again as she wrapped a bandage around his hand and then cleared the first aid stuff away, and he got the distinct feeling that he had made her uncomfortable. He told himself he should be more careful in the future – all she wanted from him was friendship, and if she realized how he felt about her, she would start to feel awkward around him. She might even start avoiding him. He felt a stab of panic at that thought, and vowed to keep a firmer grip on himself from now on. No more looking at her like that. She wasn't his to look at.

…

During class the next morning, she seemed a little subdued. She looked tired and absentminded, and he wondered if she was having trouble sleeping. At lunch, he noticed that she wasn't eating much.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

She gave him a weak smile. "Just a little tired. I need to go to bed earlier tonight."

He kept shooting her concerned looks throughout the afternoon's class. At first she started looking pale, then her cheeks began to flush and he saw her shiver several times. After class was over, he stopped her as she walked past his desk.

"I think you're getting sick", he said, concerned.

She shook her head. "No, I just have a headache. I'm going to take an aspirin and then I'll be fine."

He observed her critically. "You're shivering, your face is flushed, and on top of that you have a headache? Sounds like you might have a fever. Can I feel your forehead?"

"Fine", she shrugged.

He gently pressed his hand against her forehead and frowned. "That definitely feels warm to me. Let's get you to bed and take your temperature."

She pushed his hand away impatiently. "I'm not sick, I don't need to go to bed."

As she tried to walk away from him, however, she swayed and had to lean against the doorframe for a moment. He was immediately at her side.

"You're dizzy", he said urgently. "You're sick!"

"I'm just a little faint because I didn't eat at lunch."

"Why are you being so stubborn about this?" he asked, exasperated.

"Because I never get sick!" she said. "I haven't been sick in years."

"You've been through a lot lately", he said softly. "Your immune system may be a bit weaker than usual."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not getting sick. I refuse."

He shot her an amused look. "I don't think you have much say in the matter."

"I'm going to take an aspirin, eat something, then go for a walk. Some fresh air will clear my head."

"You'll do no such thing", he said sternly. "Bed is the only place you're going, if I have to carry you there myself."

For a moment, her eyes sparkled. "You know, maybe I _do _feel a little faint."

He snorted. "If you're strong enough to joke about it, you're strong enough to walk. Come on."

As she let go of the doorframe, however, she staggered slightly, so he wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her to her bedroom. He sat her down on the bed, then went to get the thermometer, which confirmed a few minutes later that she had a fever.

"Bedrest", he said firmly. "Put on your pajamas, I'm getting you something to get your temperature down."

When he came back in with a glass of water and some medication, he was glad to see that she'd obeyed him and put on her pajamas. She was just getting between the sheets, shivering.

"Oh", she groaned. "I hate this. Getting sick is bad enough, but it's even worse in a strange place with nobody to take care of you."

He said nothing, merely gave her the water and meds. Even under the blanket, she kept shivering, so he went to his room and got his own blanket from his bed. She protested weakly when he covered her with it, but he ignored her and carefully tucked it in around the edges.

"Thank you", she said reluctantly.

He pulled out her desk chair and sat down.

She raised her eyebrows. "What are you doing? You can't stay here."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm going to get you sick, too."

"If you've got the flu, you're contagious a full day before you start showing symptoms. I've already been exposed when you stitched my hand yesterday."

"Still, you shouldn't increase the risk. Go away."

"No."

"If you get sick, you won't be able to teach for days!"

"I'm not leaving you alone."

She chuckled. "I'm not _dying_. It's just the flu. Go away!"

"No."

She sighed. "Look, Professor, I'm not strong enough to argue with you right now."

"Good", he said quietly. "Now get some sleep."

She shot him an incredulous look, then settled herself deeper under her blankets. Soon, he saw her surrender to her exhaustion – her eyes closed and her breathing became deep and even. He got up and got a book from his room, then made himself comfortable in the chair next to her bed.

He couldn't focus on his book, however. He'd promised himself only yesterday that he wouldn't look at her anymore, but now that she was asleep, he thought it couldn't hurt, and he just couldn't help himself. It was so nice to be able to look at her for as long as he wanted, and he kept drinking her in, minute after minute. Then he made a supreme effort and tore his eyes away from her face. What would she think if she woke up and saw him staring at her like that?

At dinnertime, he went down, got himself a plate of food and came back up to eat it. As he entered her room again, she woke up.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Awful", she groaned.

"I'm sorry", he said, full of empathy. "Here, take another tablet, that should at least keep your fever down."

She swallowed the pill, then lay back down in the pillows to watch him.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No. But you should go down and eat with the others."

"I can eat right here."

"Sergio", she said softly. "You don't… you don't have to take care of me."

"I know I don't have to", he said, and he started to eat.

After he was done, he went downstairs and made her tea. She sat up against her pillows to drink it. They were silent for a while, then he said:

"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday, about Tokyo and Rio."

"You're not still thinking about separating them, right?"

"No", he sighed. "I'm going to follow your advice. But do you… do you think their feelings for each other might just… go away?"

She considered this. "They might. It happens sometimes. But I'm not sure that's something you should be hoping for."

"Why not?"

"Well", she said. "We're all stuck here together, so there are only two likely scenarios."

"Which are?"

"Either they're going to start liking each other more and more, or they're going to start annoying each other, and then they might not want to work together anymore."

"So you're saying I should be happy about them forming an attachment?"

She gave him a soft look. "Emotions aren't bad things, Sergio. Even in a situation like this, they can be good. Make people care more, draw them together."

"And you said their feelings for each other are unrelated to whether or not they sleep together?"

She nodded. "Sleeping with someone you like can make the feeling stronger, but _not _sleeping with them won't make it go away. In fact, it often makes it worse." She smiled. "Unrequited love, you see."

"What do you mean?"

"People are very good at wanting things they can't have. You start romanticizing the person in your head, you start building them up to something they're not."

"Oh", she said, wondering if that was what was happening to him. Would it actually be better if they… He felt himself blush and firmly pushed the thought away. He shouldn't think about her like that.

She yawned and put her empty cup on the bedside table. "Thank you for the tea. I'm going to go back to sleep, and you should go to bed too."

He got up. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I'll check on you in the morning. Goodnight."

"Goodnight", she murmured.

He went to his own room and lay awake for a long time, thinking about what she'd said.

…

The next morning, he gently knocked on her door before breakfast.

"Come in", she said, and he opened the door and went in.

"How are you?"

He didn't really need to ask, though. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright with fever.

"I think it's worse", she croaked. "I didn't sleep very well tonight, everything hurts."

"I'll get you some more medication", he said.

After she'd taken it, she looked up at him with soft eyes.

"Thank you for checking in on me. I've been awake for a few hours and it was… lonely."

"I'm going to breakfast now, but I'll come back right after."

She smiled. "Thank you."

He came back into her room twenty minutes later, telling her how everybody had asked about her, and that seemed to cheer her up a little. They talked for a while, then he got up to go to the morning's class. At the door, however, he glanced back at her, and she looked so small and sad. His heart was breaking at the thought that she would have to spend the entire day alone in this room. He closed the door again and sat down.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm staying with you today."

"No", she protested. "You can't do that."

"I don't want you to be sick and alone."

"But what about classes?"

"We can afford a day's delay. And besides, I can't teach if you're not there. You're an essential part of the operation, you can't miss anything."

She knew full well that he was just making excuses, but she didn't object further.

"Thank you", she said softly.

He got up. "I'm just going to tell the others."

He came back with a book, and he spent the entire morning reading to her, occasionally getting up to get her more meds, making sure she drank enough water and tea. By the afternoon, she was getting tired again.

"I think I'm going to sleep for a bit", she sighed. "Then you can go and do something else."

"I'm staying right here", he said quietly.

"But I'll just be asleep", she said.

"And I'll be here if you need anything."

As she slept, he considered his situation. If he was entirely honest, he had to admit to himself that he wasn't doing this out of selflessness – he was actually glad about this opportunity to stay with her, to talk to her, to take care of her. He sighed deeply as he rubbed his eyes. He'd hoped his feelings for her would gradually disappear again if he couldn't act on them, but he realized that the opposite was happening. Every day he thought he couldn't possibly like her more, and yet he was proven wrong again and again as the feeling got stronger day after day. He knew he shouldn't be sitting here with her. He knew he wouldn't have done it for any of the others. But how could he leave her? He just didn't have the strength.

For the first time in weeks, he forced himself to think ahead several months to the heist, and, more significantly, to after the heist. They would go their separate ways then, all of them. She would take her daughter and start a new life somewhere else, and he would lose her forever. The thought of it took his breath away, and he wondered frantically how this had happened to him. A few months ago, he hadn't even known her, yet now he couldn't imagine his life without her. The money, the glory, the achievement of a lifelong dream – what would it mean, any of it, without her?

She woke up and he shook himself from his dark thoughts to smile at her and talk to her for a bit, but it was clear that she was feeling worse and worse, and she soon went to sleep again. He went down to eat at dinnertime, then settled himself back in the chair next to her bed, unwilling to leave her alone when she was sleeping so restlessly, tossing and turning, her cheeks a burning red because of the fever. She woke up every hour or so, and he gave her water and meds, talked to her soothingly for a few minutes, then watched her go back to sleep. The hours passed, and he still couldn't bring himself to go to bed.

In the early hours of the morning, the fever reached a peak and she began talking in her sleep. He watched her, helpless, worried, unable to do anything except sit by her bedside and wait for her to wake up. When she did, he helped her to sit up and sip some water. She turned feverish eyes on him, and he wasn't sure if she was entirely awake when she whispered in a cracked voice:

"Sergio… Please don't leave me."

"I won't", he assured her. "I'm here."

"You're so sweet to me."

"Nonsense. We take care of each other, you and me. That's what friends do."

He helped her lie back down, and she suddenly took his hand and stroked it softly.

"Thank you", she murmured, her eyes closing. "I love you."

He stiffened. "What?"

She was already back asleep, however. He heavily sat back down in his chair and stared at her. Had he misheard her? Had she really said that? His heart was beating fast, but he tried to reason himself to calmness. She had a fever, she didn't know what she was saying. Her words kept echoing in his head, however, no matter how much he tried to banish them.

He noticed that she was sleeping more calmly now, and her fever seemed to be breaking. After a while, he dozed a bit in his chair, but he woke up again at the first light of dawn. An hour later, she woke up too.

"Sergio?" she said sleepily.

"Yes", he said. "I'm here."

"How long have you been waiting here?"

He hesitated, and she opened her eyes wide. "You did go to bed, right?"

He blushed. "You were very sick, I didn't want to leave you."

"You were here _all night_?"

"Yes." He hesitated again. "Raquel… about what you said…"

She pushed herself upright and leaned against the pillows. "What I said when?"

"Last night, when you woke up."

"Did I wake up?"

"Yes, you did, and you said…"

He looked at her, and he saw no understanding at all in her eyes. She didn't remember.

"You know what?" he said with a slight smile. "It doesn't matter."

"Did I say something embarrassing?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all."

"Oh, good", she said in relief.

He abruptly got up. "I'm going to take a shower and then get ready for this morning's class. I'll come and check on you during the breaks, okay?"

"Okay", she said softly. "Thank you for staying with me tonight."

"Don't mention it."

He didn't look at her as he quickly exited the room and closed the door. He got clean clothes from his room, then went into the bathroom. As he stood under the shower, he wished he could wash away the feeling of disappointment that was filling his chest. He sternly berated himself: of course she hadn't meant it, of course it was only the fever talking – she'd been confused, she hadn't realized what she was saying. After everything she'd been through, and with everything she was still going through, of course romance was the furthest thing from her mind. And even beside that… how could a woman like her possibly care for someone like him? He knew it was for the best – they couldn't be together anyway, but it still surprised him how badly this hurt. It was the first time in his life that he'd been in love, and he hadn't realized how painful it would be to be confronted with the fact that it wasn't mutual. He had no idea how to deal with this. Just a few more months, he told himself. Then she would be gone from his life and he would be able to start healing. In the meantime… he'd just have to bear it. He stood for a long time under the steaming water of the shower, feeling tired and lost and miserable.


	11. Temptation

She undressed for him slowly. He looked on with bated breath as she undid her shirt button by button, then shrugged it off and let it drop to the floor. Next, she took hold of the hem of her top, and he swallowed hard as she pulled it over her head. He wanted to touch her so badly. His heart was beating fast as she undid the button of her pants, then stepped out of them, and it started beating even faster when she joined him on the bed, smiling. She put her hand against his chest and pushed him down into the pillows, then she leaned forward slowly, and he could already imagine her lips on his…

He woke up with a start, breathing fast, his heart racing. His first reaction was one of disappointment and frustration that she wasn't really with him, but a moment later he felt an all-consuming, burning sense of shame creep through him. He rubbed his face hard, trying to erase the memory of the dream. He was not, _not _allowed to think of her like that, even subconsciously. He wondered vaguely what had woken him up at such a crucial moment – _just in time_, he thought. Was it the noise from Nairobi's birthday party, which had still been in full swing when he had gone up to bed? He listened… no, that couldn't be it, everything seemed quiet. The next moment, however, there was a knock on his door, and he realized that had been what had woken him up.

He switched on the light and got out of bed, his mind still fuzzy with sleep, and opened the door. His eyes went wide as he saw Raquel standing there, smiling at him. For a moment, he wondered frantically if he was still dreaming, but then he realized that she was really there, and he felt himself go bright red at the memory of his dream.

She raised her eyebrows. "What are you looking so embarrassed about?"

"Nothing", he said quickly. "Is… is something wrong?"

"No", she said idly. "I just didn't want to go to bed yet. Can I come in?"

"Uhm", he said, but she didn't wait for his answer. She slipped past him into his room, and let herself fall down on his bed.

He quickly closed the door and turned around, flustered to the extreme to have her in his room, _in his bed_, only minutes after that dream. His cheeks were burning, and he felt so awkward he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

She sat up and threw him a curious look. "Seriously, why are you looking like that?"

He took a deep breath and tried to change the subject. "How was the rest of the party?"

She grinned broadly. "So much fun! You missed the best part."

He suddenly noticed something he hadn't noticed before because of his embarrassment.

"Are you drunk?"

She winked at him. "Only a little."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I think it's more than a little. How much did you have to drink?"

"I lost count", she said lightly, then she patted the mattress next to her. "Don't just keep standing there, sit down."

"No thank you", he said stiffly.

"Come on", she smiled. "Relax."

He cleared his throat. "Why are you here?"

"The party's over."

He checked his watch. "It's three o'clock. You have class in the morning. Go to bed."

"But I'm not tired yet."

He gave her a stern look. "So you thought you'd come and bother me?"

She grinned. "I didn't think you'd mind. Why did you leave the party so early?"

"I have class in the morning too. I don't like to be tired."

"Don't you ever have fun?"

"Not usually, no."

She gave him a long look which he couldn't really interpret. When she spoke again, her voice sounded a little wistful.

"Wouldn't you like to, sometimes?"

"What?"

"Have a little fun."

She slowly got up from the bed and he stiffened as she walked towards him. His instinct was to back away, but he stood his ground. His heart started beating faster as she came very close to him.

She looked up at him. "Don't you ever want to just cut loose?" she whispered. "Do something stupid?"

His heart was beating painfully hard now. "Why… why would I want to do something stupid?"

"Just because it would feel good", she murmured, her eyes still on his.

He made a supreme effort and looked away. "I'd only regret it later."

She came even closer to him. "Maybe you would", she said softly. "Maybe you wouldn't."

She reached up a hand and ran it along the collar of his pajamas. Her nearness was making him dizzy. His blood was pounding in his ears and he couldn't breathe right. Her hand was on his chest now, and he wanted to touch her so badly it hurt, but she was drunk, she wasn't thinking right. She wouldn't be here if she'd been sober. He took a big step back.

"I'm pretty sure I would", he said firmly. "Goodnight."

She gave him a sad look. As she turned away from him, she stumbled over the carpet and almost fell, and he realized she was drunker than she looked. He caught her by the elbow.

"Alright", he sighed. "Let's get you to bed."

"I can get to my room by myself", she said with dignity, but she leaned rather heavily on him.

"You're going to fall and hurt yourself", he grumbled as he steered her towards the door.

When they got to her room, he sat her down on the bed, then went downstairs to get her a glass of water. He sat down next to her.

"Drink all of this. Hopefully that will make your hangover tomorrow less severe."

She did as he said, then handed him back the empty glass. As he wanted to get back up, however, she stopped him with a hand on his knee.

"Do you want to stay?" she murmured. "Just for a bit?"

He was unable to move as her hand slid up his thigh, then he shook himself and firmly pushed it away.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

She put her hand on his sleeve.

"You're always so well-behaved, Sergio", she said softly as she moved her hand down his arm. When she started stroking his hand, he closed his eyes for a moment as a deep, desperate longing shot through him. She wasn't making this easy on him.

"Always the perfect gentleman", she whispered as she leaned her shoulder against his. "Always. Even when we were sleeping in the same bed. Even now."

"Your judgment is impaired", he said stiffly. "You really need to sleep now."

"I suppose", she sighed regretfully, then she withdrew her hand from his and got between the sheets fully dressed.

He got up and turned off the light. "Goodnight, Lisbon."

"Goodnight, Professor."

As he walked back along the dark hallway to his room, he told himself firmly that this didn't mean anything. She was really drunk, she just wanted some companionship and he had been her best option. He supposed he should just be grateful that she hadn't gone knocking on his brother's door. When he got back into bed, he lay awake for a long time, afraid of the dreams he might have if he let himself fall asleep.

…

The next morning, he was just knotting his tie in front of the mirror when there was the softest knock on his door. He opened it, and there she stood, giving him such an embarrassed look that he forgave her on the spot.

"I'm so sorry", she whispered guiltily. "So, _so _sorry."

He shook his head. "It's alright."

"No, it's not!" she said. "I made you uncomfortable."

"Your judgment was impaired", he said.

"Yes, it was", she said firmly, confirming his suspicion that it had been just the alcohol talking last night. "I didn't mean to…"

"I know", he said quickly.

She pressed her hands to her face. "God, I'm mortified."

He gave her a smile. "There's no need for that."

"I want you to know that I would never have done that if I'd been sober", she assured him.

"Yes", he said with a sinking feeling. "I realize that."

"Good", she said, relieved. "Can we… can we please never talk about this again?"

"Consider it forgotten."

"Thank you", she whispered.

She turned away, and as he watched her go, he wished – for just one fleeting moment – that he could have been just a bit less of a gentleman last night.

…

After dinner that night, when they were all gathered around the table, he suddenly noticed that Nairobi was missing. When he asked about her, Tokyo informed him that she'd gone up to her room because she said she wasn't feeling well. Concerned, he went up the stairs to check on her. He walked up to her room and knocked.

"Yes?"

He opened the door and went in.

"Nairobi, are you alright?"

She was lying in bed, but she sat up as he came in. "I think I have a fever."

He sat down on the bed next to her.

"You may have caught Lisbon's flu. Let me see." He touched her forehead with the back of his hand. "No, I don't think it's a fever. Maybe it was the food, I don't feel very well either."

He knew perfectly well that his current state of inner turmoil had nothing to do with the food, but it was true that he didn't feel great. So when Nairobi said: "Well then, lie down. There's room", he hesitated for only a moment, then lay down beside her with a sigh. He wished he could just tell her everything, he wished he could unburden himself, ask her for advice, but he knew he couldn't.

As they lay shoulder to shoulder, he noticed how different it felt to be in the same bed with Nairobi compared with Raquel. Sure, he still felt a little awkward, but there was none of the same tension between them, and his body didn't react to her presence with any of the distressing things it did when Raquel was near him. Nairobi didn't seem to be experiencing things the same way, however.

"Is it me", she said, "or is there some tension in the air?"

"Tension?" he said, surprised. "Here?"

"Yes", she said, turning to him, and he suddenly felt less comfortable. "Maybe it's because I've been locked away in here for months, or maybe it's the fever, or maybe…"

She reached out a hand and touched his tie, and he stiffened. "… maybe it's your sex appeal."

He wondered _how the hell _this was happening to him twice in two days. What was it with the women in this house?!

She gave him an appealing look. "Don't you feel the same way about me?"

He felt supremely uncomfortable. The truth was 'no', but how could he tell her that without hurting her feelings?

"Well", he said awkwardly. "There's no denying that you're a strong woman. A confident woman. And you're beautiful, and of course I've noticed that. But… personal relationships are not allowed."

She gave him an amused look. "I don't want you to marry me."

He noticed how it cost him no trouble whatsoever to say no to her. It wasn't at all like last night. "No, we can't."

"Just this once?"

She was getting much, _much _too close to him and he didn't like it at all. He was just about to get off the bed when the door suddenly opened and Raquel walked in.

"Nairobi, how are you…?" She stopped dead when she saw them. "Oh."

He immediately scrambled off the bed, feeling himself go red. "I… I was just checking up on Nairobi."

She gave him a cold look. "Yes, I'm sure you were."

Nairobi looked between the two of them, then raised her eyebrows. "You know what, I'm really not feeling well. Can everybody leave, please?"

Raquel turned around and marched out the door, and Sergio hurried off after her into the hallway.

"Look…" he said, "Wait! It wasn't…"

She sharply turned on him. "It wasn't _what_?"

He cast around awkwardly for the right words to explain. "It wasn't what it looked like."

"Really?" she snapped. "Because what it _looked like _was that you were getting very cozy with Nairobi."

He glanced at the stairs, at the bottom of which the others were probably still gathered around the dinner table.

"Let's continue this conversation in private, shall we?" he murmured, then opened the door to his bedroom and gestured for her to go in. For a moment, it seemed like she would refuse, but then she pushed past him, throwing him a filthy look in passing. He closed the door behind himself and turned to her.

"Look, I was really just there to see if she was okay."

"Then why were you _in the bed _with her?"

"I wasn't feeling great either and she asked me to lie down."

"It took me _hours _to convince you to get in the same bed with me when we were at that hotel! But when Nairobi asks you, you have no problem with it?"

"It's not the same thing", he said softly.

"No", she said, sounding very upset. "Apparently it isn't!"

"It wasn't anything like that!" he hastened to assure her. "Nothing happened!"

"Only because I walked in on you!"

"No!" he said. "Nothing _would have _happened."

"Oh please!" she snapped. "You were only inches apart! Her hand was on your tie!"

"I didn't _want _it there!" he said, exasperated. "But what was I supposed to do?"

"Push her away!" she said. "You had no problem pushing _me_ away yesterday!"

"You were drunk!" he said.

"You're a hypocrite!" she said, and he could see tears in her eyes. "You're always talking about how there shouldn't be any personal relationships between us, and then I find you in bed with someone else!"

"_Nothing happened_", he said, confused by her reaction. "Why are you getting so upset about this?"

He could see something inside her break, some restraint that had been holding her back.

"Because I've been trying so hard to keep to your stupid rules!" she shouted. "I've been trying so hard to respect your boundaries, your needs, your personal space! And it's been killing me! It's been slowly driving me insane because… because I am _so _in love with you!"

His frantic train of thought came to a screeching halt. He stared at her. "You're… you're in love with me?"

She gave him a pained look. "Yes. I really don't want to be, but yes."

Inside his brain, things were suddenly clunking into place. A warm, golden feeling of joy was sparking inside his chest, but he didn't dare let himself believe it yet. "Are… are you sure?"

She quirked up one corner of her mouth. "Pretty sure, yeah. I can't eat, I can't sleep, and no matter how hard I try – and _believe me_, I've fucking tried – I can't think about anything else."

He couldn't move for a moment as the glorious realization of it swept through him, numbing his thoughts, filling him with happiness.

She went on: "I'm really sorry. I know I shouldn't have said anything, but I just couldn't keep it in anymore. I know you don't want this, I know you only want to be friends."

God, she was saying stupid things. Such stupid, stupid things.

"I know I'm making a fool of myself here, I know you don't care for me in the same way…"

He kissed her. He didn't think about it – he just leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled back, she looked at him in surprise for a moment. Then she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, and he wrapped his arms around her waist as he reveled in the feeling of her lips on his, the unutterable satisfaction of holding her, finally, finally holding her. The joy of her closeness was so all-consuming that nothing else really registered outside of the fact that he was touching her.

The next moment, however, she pushed him back against the wall as she kissed him more deeply, one hand in his hair, and alarms started going off inside his brain as she pressed herself close to him. His heart was beating frantically and he felt terribly dizzy. Still kissing him, she undid his tie, then her fingers started on the buttons of his shirt, and as he suddenly realized what was happening, he felt a stab of panic like he'd never felt before. Were they really going to do this? What if he did it _wrong_? This was a momentous thing they could never come back from, and she meant so much to him... Her mouth was still on his, her body pressed against him, and it was flooding his brain, it was so deeply overwhelming, it was too… too much.

Gasping, panicked, he pushed her away from him. She looked up at him in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"We… we can't do this", he panted, steadying himself against the wall, trying to keep from shaking.

"What?"

"We can't do this!"

The confusion in her face was changing to hurt, and he hated himself, but he couldn't, he _couldn't_.

"Why?" she whispered.

His brain wasn't working right. He cast around frantically for a reason, and he instinctively reached for the thing that gave him certainty in life: rules – guidance, safety.

"No personal relationships between members of the team", he mumbled, not looking at her.

She was silent for a long time, and he tried with all his might to pull himself together, to get a grip on the conflicting emotions that were threatening to drown him.

Finally she said, in a quiet voice: "Are you serious?"

There was still a swirling vortex of panic inside his chest, but he managed to look outwardly calm as he looked up at her and firmly said: "Yes."

He needed her to leave, he needed to be alone, so he went on blindly: "This was a mistake. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

She gave him a soft look. "Sergio…"

Hearing her say his name was so painful that he couldn't stand it. "Please leave", he whispered, his voice breaking.

"But…" she said appealingly. "Don't you feel…"

"_No_", he said sharply, and she abruptly stopped speaking. "Please… _please_ leave."

The look she gave him was so full of hurt that a small, distant part of his brain yelled at him to stop her, to take her hand, to _explain_, but the little voice was drowned out by his overwhelming need to _think_, to stop and sit down and process this. So when she slowly walked to the door, he let her go.

As the door closed behind her, he sat down heavily on his bed, shaking, and buried his face in his hands. What had he done? He'd been so happy at finding out that she was in love with him, too, that he'd acted on an impulse, and now he had upset the delicate balance that they'd been able to create. He'd never even considered the possibility that she might reciprocate his feelings, had never allowed his thoughts to stray to what might happen if she did.

He took a deep breath and tried to figure out why he had reacted so strongly, why her presence had suddenly become unbearable to him. He didn't like breaking rules, that was definitely a part of it. Especially a rule that he had created himself, and for a good reason. He still believed very strongly that an emotional bond between them would cloud his judgment and endanger the operation. It was bad enough already even now, before anything had happened between them – how much worse would it be if they actually started a relationship? What if he, at some point, had to decide between her safety and the safety of all of his crew, or the success of the operation? What if she distracted him so much that he couldn't think straight anymore? The lives of nine people depended on him. He couldn't allow it, he couldn't risk it.

And then – he swallowed – there was the personal aspect of it. Now that he was calmer, he could take a step back, and he realized that he was terrified. He'd never been in love before, and it was scary as hell. She was so wonderful, so amazing, and he just _knew _he was going to screw it up. Hell, he groaned, he'd _already _managed to screw it up, in about a minute and a half after she'd told him she was in love with him. That must be some kind of record. He knew he was woefully unequipped for this sort of thing: barely any experience with previous relationships, no social skills, no emotional intelligence whatsoever. And it had suddenly gone _so fast_. He'd barely had time to register that she had feelings for him too, and he felt like he would need at least a week just to come to terms with _that_, and then slowly, very slowly, think through all the possible routes they could take, all the possible things that could go wrong or – he barely dared to think about it – all the things that could go right. Time. He needed time. But he'd robbed himself of that by kissing her, and setting things in motion he wasn't prepared to handle.

What must she think of him now? Kissing her, and then pushing her away like that. He shuddered to think how angry she must be, but he couldn't possibly talk to her again before he'd figured things out for himself. He suddenly shook his head. What was there to figure out? They couldn't do this – _he _couldn't do this. There were a thousand reasons not to go there, and he shouldn't. He wouldn't. He'd apologize to her – when he could gather the courage to face her again – and then he'd stay away from her for a while, until things went back to normal. If they ever could. He buried his face in his hands again. What had he done? _Don't you ever just want to do something stupid? Just because it would feel good?_ Her words echoed in his mind. Well, he'd certainly done something stupid now, but it didn't feel good at all.


	12. Truth

He barely slept that night. In his mind's eye, he kept seeing the look on her face as he had asked her to leave, and it was tearing him apart. He felt so guilty for hurting her, so angry at himself for initiating a kiss when he should have known he couldn't follow through, so anxious to set things right. A dozen times, he almost got out of bed to go and apologize to her, but he didn't think it was a good idea to be alone with her right now. He'd apologize tomorrow, in a semi-public setting, like the kitchen or the garden, somewhere that didn't feel too private. He'd apologize and explain his reasoning. She'd understand, wouldn't she, that he needed to focus on the heist? After all, the operation was important to her, too – she needed it to succeed so she could get her daughter back. He tossed and turned in his bed, consumed by the fear that she wouldn't forgive him, that they wouldn't be able to go back to normal.

And underneath all of that was another emotion, one he desperately tried to ignore: a bone-deep, frustrated longing that he'd never experienced before. No matter how hard he tried to push it away, the memory of kissing her kept intruding on his thoughts. He closed his eyes and allowed himself, just for a moment, to relive it – the exact instant his lips had touched hers, the surprise on her face, quickly changing to joy, the feel of her arms around his neck, the sensation of her body pressed against his… He opened his eyes again and forced his thoughts away from there. What made him imagine for even a second that he was allowed to think about her in that way? And yet – and yet… the memory of holding her made him ache.

After only a few hours of sleep, he dragged himself out of bed in the morning, dreading the moment he would have to face her, but knowing that he needed to apologize to her and try to repair their friendship – if that was still possible. He went down to breakfast and she wasn't there yet. He couldn't eat as he waited for her to come down, and as she appeared, his breath caught in his throat and the longing inside him threatened to overwhelm him, but he pushed it down, down, down. As she reached the table, her eyes flicked to him for just one moment, but the expression on her face told him nothing, and she didn't look at him again as she sat down next to Nairobi, who seemed to be feeling better today. She didn't look at him all through the morning's class, either, keeping her head bent over her notes, nor could he get her alone during lunch or in the afternoon. When she went up to her room directly after dinner, he realized with a sinking feeling that she was avoiding him, and of course he couldn't blame her.

As he went up to his own room an hour later, he stopped in the hallway and stared at her door for a long moment. He so badly wanted to make things right between them, but he knew he shouldn't go to her room. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was afraid of what might happen, afraid that he might break down and kiss her again. He hated this feeling of not being in control of himself. He sighed deeply as he tore his eyes away from her door and went into his own room. See, this was exactly why they couldn't be together: she affected him too much. It was dangerous – it was terrifying – he couldn't lose himself. So he sat down on his bed in utter misery and prepared to spend another sleepless night thinking about her.

As dusk fell, there was a sudden knock on his door, and he looked up, alarmed, his heart pounding. Could it be her? What would he say to her? Was she here to yell at him? He almost hoped she was, maybe it would lessen the crushing guilt he was feeling. He slowly got up and walked to the door, trying to keep himself from shaking. When he opened it, though, it wasn't Raquel standing there. It was Nairobi.

"Evening, Profe", she said. "Can I come in for a minute?"

He hesitated. "I'm… I'm not sure that's a good idea."

She flashed him a grin. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try and seduce you again."

Relieved, he gestured for her to enter, and he closed the door behind her. She walked to the middle of the room, then turned to him, arms crossed.

"Look, I just thought you should know. Lisbon came to talk to me. She's leaving."

He suddenly felt himself go cold. "What?"

"She says she's leaving, first thing in the morning. She didn't tell me why."

He felt like he was falling, fast. "But… but what about her daughter? I was going to help her get her daughter back!"

"She said she's going to try and do that on her own."

"But how is she going to get out of the country?"

"I gave her the address of a friend of mine, who can help her get a false passport and arrange for her to leave the country undetected."

"What about money?"

"I gave her money."

"What?!"

She shrugged. "After this heist is over, I'm either going to be dead, in prison, or filthy rich. Either way, I won't need that money anymore."

His head was spinning. "Nairobi, _why _are you helping her leave?"

She raised her chin defiantly. "Because I don't think any woman should be forced to stay in a situation she doesn't want to stay in anymore."

He swallowed hard. "What… what do you mean?"

She crossed her arms again. "Look, Profe, I don't know exactly what you did to her, but I'm sure it was something shitty. After that fight you had yesterday…"

"You heard that?"

She snorted. "Please. You think I'm deaf? My room is right next door and you weren't exactly quiet."

He had to lean against the wall for a moment, dizzy. "She's really leaving?" he whispered.

She nodded. "She's packing up her stuff right now."

He gave her a pleading look. "Nairobi… she _can't _leave."

"Why not?"

"Because… because I need her."

"You were planning to do the heist without her until the last minute."

"I don't need her for the heist", he said desperately.

"Why, then?"

He struggled to find the right words. "I need her because… because… Nairobi, she's everything to me. If she leaves, I don't know how I'd be able to cope." He blinked as he was hit by a blinding realization. "I… I don't think I can live without her anymore."

She raised her eyebrows. "Well for fuck's sake, Profe. Why are you telling _me _this? Go say it to _her_!"

He hesitated, and she pointed at the door. "Go!"

His thoughts were racing as he left the room and walked down the hallway. With sudden perfect clarity, he realized that what he'd said to Nairobi was true: he needed her. He'd been so afraid that she would distract him from the heist, but now he could see that that distraction would be nothing compared to what it would do to him if she left. How could he continue with the operation if he was shattered beyond repair, if his every waking moment was filled with regret at letting her go? He'd been so afraid of letting her become more important to him than the operation, that he hadn't noticed, he hadn't seen… she already was. So what was the use in fighting it? And yes, getting close to her was scary – so scary that it made his stomach churn – but he suddenly realized that the alternative was unthinkable. The thought of being with her made him panic, but it was nothing compared to the panic he felt at the thought of never seeing her again. He had to stop her from leaving, no matter what it took.

His heart was racing by the time he reached her door, but he felt an unshakeable sense of certainty, and he didn't hesitate to knock. When he heard her say 'yes?', he took a deep breath, then opened the door. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, folding laundry from a basket on the floor, and the moment he saw her, he felt even more certain that he couldn't possibly let her go. As he entered and closed the door behind himself, she looked up at him in surprise, but he started speaking before she could say anything.

"Raquel", he began in a rush, "I owe you an apology. I behaved abominably to you yesterday, and I understand that you're angry, I understand that I hurt you and that you never want to see me again. I understand that you want to leave."

She opened her mouth to say something, but he quickly raised his hand to stop her. "No, please let me finish. I need to tell you something."

He frantically cast around for the right way to start. Expressing himself had never been his forte, and this was so crucial – the wrong words, and he would lose her. "Raquel, I've always been a man of the mind. I valued reason and rationality above all else, because emotions are messy and complicated and confusing. That's why, at the beginning of this operation, I created rules for myself to keep out all feeling. I had a perfect plan, and nothing was going to mess that up."

He was looking at her, trying to gauge her reaction from her face, but he couldn't read her expression. He forged on, his heart in his throat. "And then you walked into my life, and you've turned it upside down in ways I never imagined. I'm… I'm feeling things for you I've never felt before, things I never _thought _I'd feel, and it's terrifying and overwhelming and wonderful."

He took a deep breath, and continued rather desperately: "I'm in love with you, Raquel. I'm sorry I didn't tell you yesterday – I was a fool and an idiot and I hadn't fully realized how much you meant to me. You can be mad at me, shout at me, slap me – God knows I deserve it! – but don't go."

His voice was soft with emotion now. "Please. Let me make it up to you. Don't leave."

She raised her eyebrows. "Are you done?"

He swallowed. "Yes."

Her face suddenly broke into a smile. "I'm not leaving."

The relief he felt at her words made him dizzy. "You're not?"

"No. What gave you the idea that I was?"

"Nairobi told me."

Her smile widened and she chuckled. "I think Nairobi has been playing you."

He stared at her. "You mean… she _lied _to me? On purpose?"

"Seems like it."

"_Why_?"

She grinned. "I think so you'd say exactly what you just said."

He was stunned. She seemed unfazed, however, as she slowly got up from the bed and walked towards him.

"So…" she smiled up at him. "You're in love with me?"

He completely forgot his confusion as he looked down at her.

"Yes", he whispered. "Desperately."

"Are you sure?" she teased, using the question he'd asked her yesterday.

He smiled and echoed her answer. "Quite. I can't eat, I can't sleep, and no matter how hard I try – and believe me, Raquel, I've tried – I can't stop thinking about you. Dreaming about you. You're always on my mind. For weeks now, it's been you, you, you and only you."

Her eyes were shining. She was very close to him now, but she didn't touch him, waiting to see what he'd do. He hesitated only a moment, then he opened his arms to her, and she walked into them, hugging him, leaning her head against his chest. As he wrapped his arms tightly around her, he was once again overcome with that feeling of absolute _rightness_, which he'd also experienced the first time she'd hugged him. This was how it should be. This was where she belonged – right here in his arms. He buried his face in her hair and tried not to cry.

It felt so good just to hold her. He could barely believe she was his to hold, finally, after all those weeks of longing and misery. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of it, the shape of her, her warmth. Things had gone so fast yesterday that he'd barely had time to register anything, and he was determined to make up for that now, to absorb every detail. He took a deep breath and breathed in her scent, which was so lovely and warm and sweet that he never wanted to stop smelling it.

"Why did you push me away yesterday?" she murmured against his chest.

He hugged her tighter. "Because I'm the stupidest man in the world. I thought I needed to keep all of my focus on the heist – I didn't realize it was already much too late for that. I didn't want to lose myself, and I didn't see that I was already lost. Can you forgive me?"

She looked up at him. "Yes."

He hesitated. "Are you sure you don't want to… I don't know, yell at me for a bit?"

She chuckled. "No, I don't want to yell at you."

"Are you sure? I was so awful to you. Weren't you angry?"

She carefully disengaged from him and took a step back. "I wasn't really angry – more upset and confused. Why would you kiss me only to push me away moments later? But when I calmed down a bit and thought about it, I realized that it made sense. And I think I need to apologize to you, too."

He looked at her in surprise. "Why would _you _have to apologize to _me_?"

"I went much too fast for you yesterday", she said, embarrassed. "You gave me such a sweet kiss and I immediately began undressing you." She gave him an apologetic smile. "You'll have to forgive me, Sergio. I'd been fantasizing about kissing you for weeks, and when it finally happened, I got a tad… overenthusiastic. I forgot that you're kind of new at this."

"Very new", he said. "I've really never been in love before."

She gave him a soft look. "That must be scary, especially for someone like you."

"It is", he admitted. "I'm terrified."

"Well then…" she said. "How about we take this slow?"

"Whatever you want", he said quickly, but she shook her head.

"No", she corrected him gently. "This has to work for both of us. It has to feel right for you, too, I don't want you to feel overwhelmed. If we go too fast, you'll just end up panicking and pushing me away again."

"Never", he whispered. "Never again."

She looked up at him with such a sweet smile it took his breath away. He reached out a careful hand and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, then he let his fingers drift to slowly stroke her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. When she opened her eyes again and looked into his, he placed his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her face. He took a step closer and bent his head to lightly brush his lips against hers. This time, she didn't rush him – she just reached up a hand and tenderly touched his cheek. He kissed her again, a bit longer this time, noticing how soft her lips were, how nice her hand felt on the back of his neck. He stroked her hair as he gave her kiss after kiss after kiss.

After a while, she opened her mouth just a little, and he followed her lead. The moment the tip of her tongue brushed his, a shiver shot all down his spine, and he felt dizzy with the sheer, giddy joy of it. It happened again, and his entire body started tingling. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him as their kiss deepened, one hand on the small of her back and the other in her hair. They explored each other slowly, and he loved every second of it, his brain buzzing, his heart pounding, his knees weak. He loved the taste of her, the feel of her mouth, the fact that he could touch her, hold her close.

She reached up and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her body against his as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him more deeply. Both of her hands were in his hair now, and he held her tighter and kissed her more passionately, minute after glorious minute. He couldn't get enough of her, and as her fingers stroked the back of his neck, he shivered in delight. A moment later, she shivered too as he ran light fingers up her spine.

They kept kissing for a long time, completely wrapped up in each other as the world fell away. To Sergio, the heist and its preparations and the team were all very far away now, and she was his only immediate reality. He felt like he'd spent his entire life asleep, and she was waking him up a little more with every kiss she gave him, making him aware of things he'd never been conscious of, alerting him to what really, truly mattered. This day, this moment. This kiss. Her.

Finally they stopped and she hugged him again, and for several minutes, they just stood holding each other. He couldn't stop marveling at how unspeakably good it felt, how her body fit with his so perfectly.

"I still can't believe you're really in love with me", he said softly.

She hugged him tighter and smiled. "Well, believe it."

"I just never thought it could be possible."

She snorted. "And yet I was so obvious about it."

"You _were_?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "Of course. I was always seeking you out. All those long, lingering looks. All the flirting."

His blinked. "You were flirting with me?"

She grinned broadly. "I can't believe how oblivious you are. I tried not to flirt with you too much, but sometimes I just couldn't help it."

"Like when?"

"Like at the paintball game. Or when I was bandaging your hand. Or when you were carrying me home when I sprained my ankle and I told you you had nice shoulders. God", she laughed, burying her face against his chest, blushing. "I was so embarrassed about that afterwards. It was so unsubtle."

"I never noticed any of that", he said, surprised.

She smiled up at him. "No, I don't suppose you would have."

He gazed down at her with a soft look in his eyes. "I'm so glad you told me yesterday that you were in love with me. I never would have figured it out on my own."

She nestled herself closer to him. "I'm glad I said something too. We could have both died of old age waiting for _you _to say something."

He chuckled. "That's probably true. You know, it took me ages to even figure out I was in love. Berlin had to point it out to me. I just thought I had really bad anxiety."

She laughed softly, and they held each other in silence for another few minutes. Then she took a deep breath and let go of him.

"Okay", she said, taking a step backwards. "Go away now."

"What?" he said, confused. "Why?"

"So you can take some time to process this", she smiled. "I don't want you freaking out on me again."

He felt such a rush of gratitude it threatened to overwhelm him. She understood. She really understood, and she didn't mind, she wanted him anyway. He swept her into his arms and pressed a long, lingering kiss to her lips.

"You're amazing", he whispered as they broke apart.

She gently pulled his head down again and leaned her forehead against his. They stood like that for a long moment, eyes closed, just connecting. Then she took a step back and smilingly stroked his cheek.

"Alright, go."

He leaned in for one last kiss, then he turned to go. At the door, he looked back at her and she gave him a soft smile, which he returned. Then he opened the door and stepped out.

As he walked down the hallway back to his own room, his heart was so full he thought it would burst. On an impulse, he passed his own door and knocked on the next one. Nairobi opened it and smiled broadly as she saw him.

"So?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. "How did it go?"

Wordlessly, he hugged her, and she laughed.

"Okay, I'm guessing pretty well. Good for you, Profe."

He let her go, and she patted his cheek.

"Now don't screw this up, okay? She's a good person."

"I know", he said softly. "I won't."

"Good", she smiled. "Sweet dreams, Profe."

"Goodnight, Nairobi."

He went into his room and let himself fall onto the bed, gazing up at the ceiling, a delirious, electric sense of joy coursing through his veins. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep for hours, but he couldn't care less. The only thing he wanted now was to replay the last hour in his head, over and over and over again, so that's what he did, reliving every kiss, every caress, every moment spent in her company. He felt like these memories were the beginning of his very own treasure trove, and he wanted nothing more than to make it grow, to add more memories to it, to capture every moment with her and store it away safely, day after day after day. As he stared up into the moonlit darkness, he couldn't wait for tomorrow, to see her again. From now on, he knew, all of his tomorrows belonged to her.


	13. Slow

He woke up at dawn the next morning because his stomach was full of butterflies. For a moment, he wondered why he was feeling so utterly happy, then the events of last night came back to him, and he rolled onto his back with a broad smile. He marveled at how the misery he had felt over the past few days had been swept away so completely by the simple act of kissing her – one moment they had been apart, and the next they were together, and it changed his entire life, just like that. Together… the word made the butterflies in his stomach flutter frantically as he started thinking for the first time what that would mean. He hadn't considered it before – hadn't _allowed _himself to consider it, because it had seemed such an impossibility, but now that he'd finally grasped that the _real _impossibility was living without her, he had to come to terms with what that would entail.

As he considered the situation, he began realizing that the butterflies currently occupying his stomach were about half due to happiness, and half due to a deep, urgent sense of nervousness. Nothing in his life had prepared him for this – the few 'relationships' he'd had in the past were barely worth the name, and they had gone so poorly that it made him terrified that the same would happen with Raquel. He was apprehensive about every aspect of the situation: from the emotional to the physical, there were so many ways for him to screw up, and he liked her _so much_. He felt like their relationship was a precious, fragile thing that he was holding on to by his fingertips, and that it would slip out of his grasp and shatter the moment he made a wrong move. His heart started beating painfully fast at the thought that, at any time, she could still decide that he wasn't worth the trouble, he could still lose her, and it would probably be his own damn fault.

He took a few deep breaths and tried to reassure himself: she'd said she was in love with him too. He couldn't really, truly grasp it, but he supposed if she said she was he should believe her. And she'd been so understanding of him so far, so kind and patient and forgiving of his mistakes… and god – he grimaced – had he made mistakes. He could only try to do better in the future and hope that she would forgive him again if he unwittingly screwed things up once more. He thought that she would. She seemed to really _see _him, to understand him in a way that none of the other women in his life ever had. That gave him hope that, this time, it would be different. This time, it might work. Because, for the first time in his life, he truly _wanted_ it to work.

He decided he was too full of energy to stay in bed any longer, so he got up to shower. There was a definite advantage to waking up so early, before the morning rush started, when everyone wanted to use the bathroom at once. He smiled dreamily as the warm water streamed down his body and he let his thoughts drift to her. Only a few more hours before he would see her again, and he just couldn't wait. He got out of the shower and brushed his teeth, then he went out into the hallway and stared longingly at her door for a few moments. He wanted to go knock on it so badly it hurt, but he felt like he couldn't very well wake her up at six in the morning just because he couldn't stand the thought of not seeing her for another two hours. He knew he had to keep some measure of control over himself, so he sighed deeply and firmly turned around to go to his own room, to read a bit until it was time for breakfast.

He sat down on his bed and tried to focus on his book, but it was a lost cause. He couldn't think of anything except _her_. This worried him a little: what about the operation? It had been at the center of his life and thoughts for years now, and it felt so strange to have it displaced so suddenly, and in such an unexpected way. He shook his head – it was true that he'd lost part of his focus, but he'd tried resisting it and it hadn't worked. He'd just have to accept that there was nothing he could do about it now, and trust that his years of preparations would be sufficient to carry him through this period of distraction. He'd just reached this conclusion when there was a soft knock on his door, and he looked up sharply, hopefully.

"Yes?" he said, and Raquel slipped into his room, her hair still a little damp from her morning shower. She closed the door behind herself and turned to him with a radiant smile.

"Good morning."

He couldn't help but smile back, his heart rate rising sharply at the very sight of her. "Good morning."

"I'm sorry for waking you this early", she began, shooting him an apologetic look. "I just… I just couldn't wait to see you again."

His heart lifted at hearing her say that, and he quickly got off the bed. "You didn't wake me. I've been up for an hour, I just couldn't sleep anymore."

"Me neither", she grinned.

They stood looking at each other for a moment, and he felt suddenly nervous, but then she crossed the distance between them, put her arms around his neck and kissed him, and his nerves were forgotten in the sheer delight of holding her again. His senses were filled with her – the taste of her mouth; the smell of her, so clean and lovely; the feeling of her hand in his hair, of her body against his. The sensations were so intense, for a moment they threatened to overwhelm him, but then he realized that he should just let it happen, and instead of trying to resist, he decided to lean into it. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back, and it was pure joy to be overwhelmed by her.

They kept kissing for several long, breathless moments, then she drew back slightly, still keeping her arms around his neck as she looked up at him with shining eyes.

"You know", she said softly, "kissing you was the only thing I could think of from the moment I woke up. How did you sleep?"

His reaction was delayed by about a second, because he was looking at her face and he felt a little dazed by how lovely she was. "I didn't sleep much, but I think I dreamed of you the entire time."

She gave him a delighted smile, then buried her face against his chest. "God, Sergio, I feel like I'm sixteen again."

"What do you mean?"

"That I'm in love like a teenager."

He smiled. "I don't have any experience in the matter – how do teenagers fall in love?"

She looked into his eyes with a tender expression. "Utterly."

He leaned down and kissed her, a soft, sweet kiss. "Then I'm in love like a teenager too."

She hugged him, leaning her head against him as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"After my divorce, I never thought I could fall in love like this again, so completely, without reservations. I didn't think I could ever sufficiently trust anyone again for that. But I trust you."

He hugged her tighter and fiercely resolved to be worthy of her trust. Yet there was a small, nagging voice inside of him that told him he wasn't.

"Raquel", he said softly, "I'm sorry. After everything you've been through, you deserve someone better than me."

She pulled back and gave him a serious look. "Don't say that."

"But I don't know what I'm doing", he said, a little desperately. "I've already hurt you once. What if I hurt you again?"

"Sergio", she said earnestly, "I realize that this isn't your strong suit. And yes, because of your inexperience or… the particular challenges of your personality, you might end up hurting me. I accept that. It happens."

"But I don't _want _to hurt you!"

She nodded. "I know. And that makes all the difference. Men like my ex-husband, they enjoy inflicting pain, in many different ways. You're not like that."

His heart bled for her, for what she'd been through. She leaned against him again and he held her tenderly, wishing he could protect her from the hurt in the world, wishing he could go back in her past and erase all of the pain.

"Will you help me?" he asked her softly, and she looked up at him.

"Help you with what?"

"With not screwing this up. I've never had a relationship of more than a few weeks before, and I want this one to last…" _Forever. _"… longer. I really want to try and do this right, Raquel, but will you please tell me when I'm doing something wrong?"

"Relax", she smiled. "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. I'm sure things will turn out fine."

He wished he could share her optimism. "You may need to have a little patience with me."

She hugged him tighter. "That's alright. And of course I'll help you."

"Thank you", he said, relieved.

She smiled up at him. "Let's take this one day at a time, shall we?"

He felt his insecurities melt away as he looked into her eyes, so warm, so trusting. "Yes. One day at a time."

She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his in a long, tender kiss. He twined his fingers into her hair and kissed her more deeply, and they remained wrapped up in each other for a long while, until they heard a door close down the hallway. She reluctantly let go of him.

"I suppose I'd better return to my room before everyone is up", she said.

He hesitated. "Are you okay with keeping this a secret for a while?"

She considered him, then nodded. "Alright. Let's give this some room to breathe before we face the scrutiny and teasing of the others."

"Exactly."

"Then I really should go."

Yet she didn't. She stood looking up at him for a long moment, then she suddenly hugged him again.

"God, I'm so happy", she murmured against his chest, and he thought his heart would burst.

Then she stepped back, took a deep breath to pull herself together, and left the room, smiling, quietly closing the door behind herself.

…

If he'd thought it had been difficult to hide his feelings for her before, it was nothing compared with how hard it was now. He tried to act normal at breakfast, but he felt like happiness was radiating off of him like a heat haze, and he was sure that everyone could see it. Yet nobody seemed aware of anything except Nairobi, who threw him a knowing wink. He couldn't stop smiling, and it took a herculean effort to keep his eyes away from her for even a second. Class that morning was a special kind of torture, with her sitting all the way in the back of the room, smiling at him with shining eyes. He had to drag his mind back to the course material over and over again, trying to ignore how desperately he wanted to look at her, touch her, hold her, kiss her – god, he wanted to kiss her.

Thankfully, they found several moments throughout the day to meet in empty rooms or hallways, and she never lost any time to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him hungrily for minutes on end. He didn't have very much to compare it with, but even with his limited experience he realized that she was a very good kisser. It made him a little hot around the collar to imagine what else she might be good at.

After dinner that night, she went up to her room quite early, but he took care to wait for half an hour before following her up. She was waiting for him in his room, and she rushed up to kiss him the moment he came in.

"Oh", she murmured. "This was a long day. I've been looking forward to this moment all afternoon."

He immediately felt nervous again. It was evening, and they were alone together in a room with a bed. What would she expect from him? His mind flashed back to the limited number of sexual encounters he'd had in the past, all of which had been uncomfortable and unpleasant and _so awkward. _What if the same thing happened with _her_? He desperately wished they could have a few days to just get used to each other before venturing there.

She noticed his hesitation. "What's wrong?"

"Uhm… what are your plans for… for this evening, exactly?"

She grinned up at him. "Well, I sure as hell wasn't planning to play cards with you."

He swallowed. "What, then?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and murmured: "I would very much like to spend this evening just kissing and kissing and kissing you."

He smiled nervously. "That sounds nice. But can we… uh… perhaps establish some parameters beforehand?"

She took a step back and gave him a confused look. "You want to establish parameters for making out?"

"If you don't mind. I know it's not very romantic", he said apologetically, "but it would really make me feel more comfortable."

"But why are you uncomfortable?"

"Because… because I'm not sure what your expectations are regarding… us spending the evening together."

"Oh!" she said as comprehension suddenly dawned on her. "You want to know if I want to have sex tonight?"

He felt himself go red. "Well… yes."

She gave him a soft look. "I don't think you're ready for that though, are you?"

He went even redder. "I know it's weird. I know men are supposed to always want sex."

She shook her head. "No, it's not weird. And you're not _supposed _to want anything."

"It's not that I don't want to!" he hastened to clarify. "But it's still so new, you and me…"

"I understand", she smiled. "You don't even like people in your personal space, so sleeping with someone must be quite intense for you."

He nodded, and she continued: "Don't worry, we said we'd take it slow, so we'll take it slow."

He felt so relieved. "Thank you. So… parameters? What are your expectations?"

"Alright", she said patiently. "Let me tell you what I'd like to do and then you can tell me if you'd be comfortable with that."

He nodded gratefully. "Great."

She smiled up at him. "I would love to lie down on the bed with you", she said softly. "Just so I could be close to you. And I'd like to kiss you and cuddle with you and talk to you. We'll keep all our clothes on." She flashed him a grin. "And I promise to keep my hands above the waist."

He laughed. "I think we have a deal."

"Good", she smiled.

He gave her an apologetic look. "I just like to know what to expect."

"I understand", she said gently. "And I think it's better this way, now you don't have to spend all evening nervous about what might happen."

She took his hand and led him to the bed. He took off his jacket and lay down, and she cuddled up to him, one leg over his, one arm over his chest, and then she started kissing him, and the rest of the world fell away. He'd wondered at how she'd said she wanted to spend the entire evening just kissing him – wouldn't they get bored? But after only a few minutes, he realized that it was quite the opposite: he just couldn't get enough of her. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever get enough of her. After every kiss, he immediately craved another one, and another, and another. She felt so nice, half lying on top of him, and he had one hand in her hair, the other roaming up and down her back. After a while, his fingers touched the waistband of her jeans, and he hesitated for a moment, his heart beating fast, then he carefully let his hand glide further downward.

She pulled back and raised her eyebrows, grinning. "Getting a little adventurous, are we?"

He quickly pulled his hand back, blushing. "Sorry. Hands above the waist."

Her smile broadened. "Oh, _I _promised to keep my hands above the waist. _You_ promised nothing of the sort, so…" She pressed another kiss to his lips, "… feel free to continue."

He hesitated, then moved his hand downwards again to slip it into the back pocket of her jeans. It felt like a surprisingly natural thing to do, and he was starting to feel more comfortable with her by the minute. He was so glad that he didn't have to worry about things progressing any further, or about his performance. It was pure bliss to just be close to her and enjoy this time together without any additional pressure.

After a long, long time, she pulled back and looked down at him, smiling.

"God, I love kissing you", she sighed. "I don't know what I've been doing with my life so far, when I was clearly put on this earth specifically so I could kiss you."

He grinned in delight. "Why are you stopping, then?"

"Because I want to ask you something", she smiled. "When was the first time you wanted to kiss me?"

He had to think about that for a while. "I think I've wanted to kiss you for a long time, but I wasn't really aware that I wanted to. The first time I remember feeling really tempted, to the point where I almost did it, was when we were in that hotel together, and you cuddled up to me in your sleep. When you woke up, you were so close to me, and the look you gave me…"

"Oh", she grinned. "I remember that moment. Do you want to know a secret?"

"Absolutely", he said, perking up.

Her eyes were sparkling. "I was dreaming about you. That's why I gave you such a strange look when I woke up, because I was dreaming about kissing you and suddenly I woke up and there you were, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to actually kiss you. It took me a moment to remember that that was not a thing we did."

"So you really were asleep? I've always wondered if maybe you were pretending."

She laughed. "No, I really was asleep! I would never have invaded your space like that if I'd been awake. You must have been so uncomfortable!"

"No", he said softly, looking into her eyes. "I loved it."

She gave him a sweet smile and pressed her lips to his.

"You know", he mused, "right from the beginning I've felt more comfortable with you than I've ever felt with anyone outside of my family. I've never minded you in my personal space. I never even minded it if you touched me. That's never happened to me before, and I can't explain it. It just feels right with you."

She stroked his cheek. "I'm so glad."

He smiled at her. "So when was the first time _you _wanted to kiss _me_?"

"Hmm", she said. "Let me think. The first time I remember realizing I was attracted to you was when we were trapped up in the attic together."

"Right", he smiled. "When you read that love letter to me."

She sighed dreamily. "That was such a romantic moment. But the first time I remember really wanting to kiss you was after the paintball game. After you'd taken that bullet for me and we were alone in the kitchen, and I was taking care of your bruise."

Something suddenly clicked for him. "Oh! I remember you looking up at me like you expected something from me, and I didn't know what it was."

She laughed. "Well, now you know! I was hoping that you would kiss me."

"Why didn't _you_ just kiss _me_?"

"You looked so confused", she smiled. "I didn't want to startle you."

"I wish you had, though", he said softly. "Then we could have gotten together weeks ago. I feel like we lost so much time."

"I think you needed that time, though", she said, still smiling. "When did you even realize you were in love with me?"

"Embarrassingly late", he admitted. "Berlin pointed it out to me, but I didn't believe him at first. I only realized he was right after you'd sprained your ankle and you didn't come home from your walk. After I'd carried you up to your bedroom, I suddenly realized that the worry I'd felt was born from something more than friendship."

"Oh!" she said, her eyes widening in comprehension. "So _that's _why you suddenly got angry at me for using your name!"

"Yes", he said. "I'm sorry about that. It just felt unbearable in that moment. You using my name has always felt really intimate to me."

"And yet you gave me your name so early on", she said. "Do you remember? I was crying because I felt so alone, and you gave me your name."

"It was the only way I could think of to connect to you. I couldn't stand to see you cry."

"You know", she said, smiling softly. "I think that was the moment I started to fall in love with you. You were so clearly uncomfortable with being in my room, and with me being upset, yet you stayed. You tried to make me feel better. You made me feel less alone."

They shared another kiss, soft and sweet. Then she asked:

"When did you begin to fall in love with me?"

He considered this. "That's so hard to answer, because it took me so long to realize what was happening to me. Let me think… in retrospect, I'm sure I was already in love with you at the paintball game… and yes, certainly already during the anatomy lesson, when you volunteered and you took your shirt off."

She laughed. "That must have been an interesting experience for you!"

He grinned. "God yes, I didn't know where to look. I promptly forgot everything I knew about anatomy."

She kissed him again, then prompted with sparkling eyes: "Go on."

"I'm sure I was already falling in love with you when we were trapped in the attic. Maybe it started when we were negotiating together for the first time, and you were so clever and sharp and witty. I remember how surprised I was."

She raised her eyebrows. "You didn't think I'd be a match for you?"

"I don't mean to be arrogant", he said carefully, "but not a lot of people are. Yet you managed to truly challenge me. You still do."

"Good", she smiled. "I wouldn't want you to become complacent. So you fell in love with me when we were negotiating together?"

"Well", he mused, "that definitely contributed to it, but it may have started even earlier. I must have already felt something for you when I gave you my name, or I wouldn't have given it to you."

He tried thinking back over those very first days together. He distinctly remembered seeking her out, wanting to talk to her, and he realized now that that was because he'd already been attracted to her. But when had it started? It suddenly hit him.

"It was the day we met", he said quietly.

"You're making that up", she smiled. "It can't have been that early."

"But it was", he said earnestly. "You looked so beaten down when you first came in, but towards the end of our conversation there was a moment when that changed completely, the moment you decided to join me. Suddenly, there was this fire in your eyes that hadn't been there before, and you looked so fierce and strong. I got a first glimpse, then, of who you really are, of how magnificent you can be. That was it. That's when it started."

She gave him a tender look, then pressed a long, lingering kiss to his lips. He hugged her tight, suddenly overcome with emotion.

"You're so incredible, Raquel. You are so beautiful and amazing, and I can't believe my luck that you're with me. You deserve someone so much better."

"Stop saying that!"

"But it's true", he said, his throat painfully tight. "I'm so inexperienced, so socially and emotionally inept. I'm weird and clumsy and awkward, and I just _can't understand _why you would want me."

"Then you can't see what I see", she said fiercely. "Because I see someone who has been _so _kind to me, right from the beginning. Someone who set aside his discomfort and shyness to talk to me and make me feel included. You've been so wonderful to me, Sergio. You've protected me, listened to me, comforted me. You came to look for me when I sprained my ankle and you carried me home. You gave me your jacket. You cared for me when I got sick."

She put her hand against his cheek and looked into his eyes. "You are gentle and sweet and smart and I don't think I could have fallen in love with a better person."

He still couldn't quite believe her. "I'm afraid I'll prove a difficult person to live with."

"You're a little different", she admitted. "But that's not a bad thing. I like you exactly the way you are. So you listen to me, Sergio: I _choose _to be with you. That's _my _choice, and I won't have you questioning it. You're not perfect, but neither am I, and we… we just fit together so well. Don't you feel that?"

"I do", he whispered. "Of course I do."

"Then will you please stop doubting yourself?" she said gently. "I feel just as strongly about you as you do about me."

He couldn't stop looking at her. "That doesn't seem possible."

She narrowed her eyes at him in mock annoyance. "Are you calling me a liar?"

He smiled. "I wouldn't dare."

"Smart", she nodded, then her expression changed and she gave him the softest look. "I'm _so _in love with you, Sergio, God help me."

And then she kissed him with so much tenderness and passion that he wrapped his arms around her and started to believe her.


	14. Burn

The next three days were, without a doubt, the happiest days of his life so far. He was careful to add the 'so far', because he had a suspicion that things would only get better from here, and he couldn't wait. They started each morning with kisses before breakfast in one of their rooms, then spent the day exchanging glances and stolen kisses between classes, before ending their evenings on his bed, talking softly and kissing for hours. She remained mindful of their agreement to take things slow, and every day he felt more comfortable with her, to the point that it was getting very difficult to keep his hands off of her. He'd never felt this way before – this irresistible, magnetic pull towards another person, this constant longing to touch her, the feeling that every minute he spent not kissing her was a minute wasted. When they were together, he felt painfully divided between wanting to be more intimate with her and being too shy to make the first move, so they didn't go beyond kissing, and the tension between them grew every day until his entire body felt charged with electricity whenever he was near her, every kiss and every touch sparking feelings and desires that were entirely new to him.

On the fourth day, they decided that it would be nice to get out of the house for an afternoon, so Raquel suggested they take some buckets and mops and go clean up the hangar that would be their control room during the heist. Sergio agreed, ordered the team to spend the afternoon studying under the supervision of Berlin, and they set out together in the car, giddy with relief at being away from the others for a while. He couldn't help but compare this trip to the last time they'd gone to the hangar together, when he'd felt so uncomfortable being alone with her. Now, he was light-headed with happiness, and they spent the drive talking and laughing, her hand on his knee the entire time, while he had great trouble keeping his eyes on the road. When they got to Madrid, he parked the car a couple of streets away from their headquarters.

"Why are we stopping here?" she asked him.

"I want to show you something."

They got out of the car and he opened a door, after which they went through a short hallway covered in plastic sheets.

"What is this place?" she asked.

"You'll see."

The hallway led to a dark room. Sergio felt around for the light switch, then turned it on, and Raquel gasped in wonder as fairy lights popped on everywhere, revealing a large space filled with a mixture of furniture, like a bed and a couch, and assorted objects, like an old car and an apple press.

"Seriously, what is this place?" she smiled.

"It's a back-up location, in case we need a cover."

"But this is so much nicer than the actual control room! Why can't we set up here?"

"Because I've had the other place for years, and we've already dug part of the tunnel from there. I've acquired this location much more recently."

"It's lovely", she nodded. "But why are we here?"

He hesitated, and his eyes flicked to the bed, which had been a bunk bed until yesterday, when he'd made some calls and had it replaced with a much more comfortable double bed. She followed his gaze.

"Oh!" She turned to him with a broad smile. "I see."

"If that's okay with you", he said quickly. "I don't want to presume…"

She flashed him a grin. "Presume away."

She came up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You really _are _a genius. Privacy, comfort, romantic lighting… it's perfect."

She kissed him, and he immediately felt nervous, his heart racing. He wanted her so badly, but oh god, what if he did it wrong? She seemed to sense his discomfort, because she pulled back and considered him for a moment.

"Sergio, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How long has it been since you last had sex?"

He did a quick calculation. "I think… about fourteen years."

She stared at him. "You… you haven't had sex in _fourteen years_?"

"Give or take."

"God, Sergio! No wonder you're nervous! I can't even imagine… Didn't you miss it?"

He shrugged. "Not really. I tried it a few times in my twenties, but honestly, I never really liked it."

She hesitated, then asked carefully: "You're… you're not asexual, are you?"

He snorted. "If you could have seen the dreams I've had over the past few days, you wouldn't ask me that."

She smiled in delight. "Good."

He continued more seriously: "I've thought about it, of course. For years, I thought that maybe I _was _asexual. I could always _perform _when I needed to, my body did the things it was supposed to do. But it didn't make me feel anything. I never used to feel desire for another person."

He pulled her closer with an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear. "But god, Raquel, I desire you."

She shivered and pressed herself closer to him, turning up her face to kiss his neck. He closed his eyes at how good it felt, and a wave of longing rose up inside of him, stronger than anything he'd ever felt. It was amazing and scary as hell, making him shake slightly. She noticed, pulled back, and took his face between her hands to give him a soft look.

"Tell me why you're nervous."

"Because it's you", he said. "Because I want to be good for you and I'm afraid I won't be able to do it right."

"You _do _know what to do, right?"

"Only the basic stuff", he admitted. "The _very _basic stuff."

"Well", she smiled at him. "You're never too old to learn something new. And I think I can teach you a thing or two."

He couldn't help but smile back. "I'm sure you can."

"Let's take our time. We have all afternoon."

The thought of making love to her all afternoon was glorious and terrifying. He suddenly realized that this would be the first time she slept with someone after her abusive ex-husband – this was a significant moment for her, and he barely knew what he was doing. He felt himself spiral into panic again, but she pulled him back with a hand on his cheek.

"Sergio, look at me. Why do you want this?"

He didn't understand her question. "We're in a relationship. Am I not supposed to want…"

She shook her head. "I don't care what you're _supposed _to want. Think about it for a moment and tell me: why do you want to sleep with me?"

He considered it, then said: "Because I want to be close to you. Because you're making me feel things I've never felt before and I wonder what it will be like, with you. Because…" His voice dropped to an embarrassed whisper. "Because you're very sexy, and I want to touch you and kiss you… all over."

"That's a good thing", she smiled. "Don't be embarrassed."

He smiled back, encouraged. "I also want to do it because I want to find out what you like and then… then do those things."

Her smile broadened. "Those are all excellent reasons. And you know what's so lovely? You don't need technical skills or lots of experience for _any _of them. You only need to like and trust each other. Do you trust me?"

He looked into her eyes. "I do."

"Good", she said softly. "Then why don't you try turning off your brain for a bit and just doing what feels right. What do you want to do right now?"

"I want to kiss you", he whispered.

"Well isn't that a coincidence?" she smiled. "I want to kiss you too."

He bent his head and pressed his lips against hers, and much of his nervousness melted away in the familiarity of her kisses, the joy of it, the delight of her hand caressing the back of his neck. When she opened her mouth and deepened the kiss, he felt another surge of longing for her, and this time, he didn't overthink it – he let it sweep through him and carry him away. Everything would be alright as long as he could be close to her.

She took off his jacket and undid his tie, slowly, without any urgency. Then she led him to the bed and they lay down together, and she kissed him for a long time, until he felt comfortable, and then a little longer, until he felt more than ready for more. Then she started kissing his neck and throat, and he sighed softly as the sensations sent shivers down his spine. She moved up a little and nuzzled his ear, then she took his earlobe between her teeth and pulled gently, causing a stab of arousal to shoot through him, making him inhale sharply.

"Do you like that?" she murmured.

"Yes", he breathed. "Do it again."

She obliged him, and he closed his eyes with a groan. Then her fingers undid the top button of his shirt, and she dipped down to kiss the newly exposed skin. She did the same thing for every button she undid, trailing kisses down his chest and stomach, igniting fires within him that had never been lit before. Then she helped him shrug out of his shirt, and she eyed him approvingly.

"You have such nice shoulders", she said, running light hands over them. "And nice arms."

She trailed her fingers down one arm, drawing paths of delicious fire, waking up his skin to her touch.

She picked up his hand. "And you have such lovely hands. Strong and sensitive."

She kissed his palm, then looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "I've been thinking about your hands a lot lately."

He swallowed, his heart racing. "Have you?"

"Yes", she said, slowly stroking the palm of his hand and his fingers. "I love your hands. I love them in my hair, and on my back. I just love it when you touch me, Sergio."

Pushing him back down onto the bed, she lay down next to him and let her hand roam over his chest and stomach as she kissed him, keeping her touch light, making him sigh with the pleasure of it. He marveled at how good it felt, how unspeakably lovely, to be touched by her when he usually hated to be touched by anyone. When she did it, it just felt _right_.

She sat up and started unbuttoning her own shirt, but he stopped her with a hand on hers.

"Please", he murmured. "Let me."

She smiled in delight and he undid her buttons with careful fingers, one by one, exposing the white top she was wearing underneath, feeling like he was unwrapping a present. He slipped the shirt off of one shoulder and kissed it slowly, moving over towards her neck, and she tilted her head and sighed. Encouraged, he kept kissing her there, and she reached up a hand and twined her fingers in his hair, keeping him there for several long moments.

"That feels so nice", she whispered, so he kept pressing kisses to the sensitive skin of her throat as he slipped her shirt off her other shoulder and stroked the exposed skin gently, then trailed his fingers down her arm, making her shiver. He realized suddenly that he didn't feel any nervousness anymore, only wonder at how amazing she smelled, delight at making her sigh, and a joyful eagerness to explore her further.

She shook off her shirt and threw it on the floor. Mirroring what she'd done with him, he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, then each of her fingertips, before brushing his lips over the delicate skin of her wrist and the crook of her elbow. He loved discovering her body like this. He wanted to get to know every line, every curve.

Like she read his mind, she took hold of her top and pulled it over her head, then lay back into the pillows. He suddenly felt a little awkward again, and he averted his eyes automatically.

"Sergio", she smiled. "Come on. You've seen me like this before, when you gave that anatomy lesson."

"I could barely look at you then."

"Well, you can look at me now. It's not a big deal, it's just a body."

He gave her a serious look. "It is a big deal to me. It's not just a body, it's _your _body, and I get to see parts of it that other people don't get to see. I feel like I'm invading your privacy."

"But that's the beauty of it", she said gently. "Baring parts of myself that are usually covered, and showing them only to you."

"I feel like this is such a precious gift you're giving me", he whispered.

She sat up and pressed her lips to his. "Yes. And it's so wonderful and intimate, and I really want to share it with you."

She lay back down, and he finally allowed his eyes to drift over her, noting the lacy edge of her black bra, the mesmerizing curves of her breasts and belly, drinking in every detail.

"You're so lovely", he whispered. "I can't believe I get to touch you."

He reached out a hand and touched the little hollow below her throat, then let his fingers trail downwards over her chest, between her breasts, over the black lacy fabric of her bra, then over her stomach, until he stopped at the waistband of her jeans and looked up at her questioningly.

She smiled. "You can take them off if you like."

He undid the button and zipper with trembling fingers, and she wriggled out of the pants, then kicked them off the bed. Then she pulled him down beside her and he kissed her tenderly as he let one hand roam over her body, tentatively at first, caressing her stomach, and then a little bolder, running his fingers down the side of her body and over the curve of her hip. Taking a deep breath, he moved his hand back up and, very carefully, cupped a breast. Through the fabric of her bra, he could feel that her nipple was already hard, so he lightly ran his thumb over it, eliciting a soft gasp from her.

"Did you like that?" he asked her, a little worriedly.

"Yes", she smiled. "Very much. Please do it again."

He repeated the motion and was rewarded with another small gasp. That made him brave enough to take her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and squeeze ever so gently. She responded with a little moan that made his heart pound. He loved the way she was reacting to him, loved that he could give her pleasure. He wanted more – more sounds from her, more sighs, he wanted to touch her, kiss her, make her moan, make her tremble, make her… Oh god, the very thought of it was making him dizzy.

She called his attention back to her with a hand on his cheek.

"Hey", she smiled. "Stay with me."

He smiled back and refocused his attention on the moment. He bent his head and kissed her, a long, deep kiss, while he squeezed first one and then her other nipple, and she hummed her approval against his lips. Then he slowly trailed his fingers down her stomach until he reached the edge of her underwear. He lifted his hand and put it back down on her thigh, and she opened her legs slightly so he could stroke the inside of her thighs. He noticed that she was breathing faster now, and when he moved up his hand and brushed his fingers against her underwear, she let out a small whimper.

"Is that okay?" he asked her earnestly, and she smiled up at him.

"Yes", she whispered. "I just want you so much."

He felt flattered and a little breathless, and he kissed her again to cover his confusion. He ran light fingers up and down between her legs, caressing her through the fabric of her underwear, and she opened her legs a little wider. Taking her cue, he moved his hand up to her lower stomach, then he hesitated with his fingers at the edge of her underwear.

"Can I?"

"Yes", she murmured. "Please, please do. I'm all yours."

He marveled at how she was surrendering to him so freely. His heart racing, he slipped his hand into her panties and began exploring her with light fingers. She shivered and closed her eyes as he felt his way, slowly, carefully, downwards. He let out a soft groan as a sharp stab of arousal shot through him.

"Oh", he whispered. "You're so wet."

She opened her eyes again and gave him a look full of longing. "Yes. You turn me on, Sergio. You turn me on so much."

Hearing her say that, and feeling how true it was, was one of the sexiest things he'd ever experienced, and he had trouble keeping his breathing under control. Slowly, very slowly, he slipped one finger inside of her, and when he added a second, she moaned softly. Then he pulled back and moved upwards a bit, but he had only a vague idea of what he was looking for.

"Help me out here", he murmured, and she took his hand and placed his fingers on the right spot.

"There", she whispered.

He moved around carefully, and suddenly he felt it.

"Here?" he asked, moving his finger, and she gasped.

"Yes! Yes, right there."

He was intrigued, and he started drawing slow circles around the spot she indicated. To his delight, she tilted her hips and started moaning, and he made the circles smaller and smaller, keeping his touch feather-light.

"Oh!" she sighed. "Oh, you're very good at this."

He felt a warm glow of pleasure at her words, and started focusing on the exact right spot, moving his finger left to right, and then up and down. Her eyes were tightly closed and she was breathing fast now, and he loved, loved, loved the sounds she was making. He noticed when her reactions were most enthusiastic, and he settled there in a steady rhythm, making her clutch at the sheets, and it was so incredibly hot he could barely stand it. Suddenly she buried her face against his chest and moaned as she tensed, and he kept up exactly what he was doing.

"Don't stop", she whispered against his skin. "Don't stop, don't stop, oh, that feels so good!"

She was making him so hard it was almost painful, but he barely noticed it as he focused all of his attention on her. She suddenly arched her back and cried out, and he held her close as she trembled in his arms for several long moments, then she took his hand and made him ease off gradually. She shivered one last time, then relaxed back onto the mattress, breathing fast. After a few seconds, she looked up at him with shining eyes.

"That was so sexy", he whispered. "So, so sexy. Oh _god, _Raquel."

She hummed in contentment as she stretched luxuriously, then she pulled him down for a kiss.

"That was amazing", she said softly. "Oh, I _love _your hands."

He felt so overjoyed, all he could do was cover her face in kisses. She laughed in delight and stroked his hair.

"So", she said smilingly. "Shall we continue?"

"Don't you need some time to recover?"

"No, not at all. In fact", she said, pulling him in for another kiss, "I only want you more now."

He marveled at the way the female body worked. He pressed another kiss to her lips, then he hesitated.

"You can ask me", she said.

"Can I… can I take off your bra?"

"Of course", she smiled.

She sat up and he carefully unhooked the clasp, then slid the straps off her shoulders, kissing her neck as he did so. She threw the bra aside and took off her panties too for good measure, then she lay down again, and his breath caught in his throat for a moment.

"Oh, you're perfect", he whispered. "Absolutely perfect."

He bent down to kiss her throat, then moved down slowly to press kisses to her chest, then her breasts.

"You're so soft", he murmured between kisses. "So, so soft."

She made a sound of contentment as he reached a nipple, then gasped as he flicked his tongue over the very tip. He did it again, and again, then he closed his mouth over it, and she sighed happily and twined her fingers into his hair. He realized suddenly that he was enjoying himself so much – nothing in his life had ever given him so much pleasure as this: exploring her, discovering ways to please her, hearing her soft sounds of pleasure, making her… oh, the mere memory of it sent another sharp stab of arousal straight through him, and he couldn't wait to do it again. He sucked gently, and he was delighted when she moaned.

"A little harder", she breathed, and he happily obliged. Her fingers were churning in his hair now, and she was moving her hips in the most tantalizing way. When she moaned again, his desire for her became so strong it took his breath away, but he didn't want to stop what he was doing for the world, so he moved to her other nipple, making her moan all over again.

Suddenly she pushed his head away, and he noticed that she was breathing fast again.

"Not good?" he asked her, but she shook her head.

"No, it's _too _good, Sergio, I can't stand it anymore. Give me a second or I'm going to combust."

He felt rather pleased that she was reacting to him so strongly, so he sat back and watched as she took a few deep breaths and collected herself. Then she looked at him.

"Can I take off your pants?"

She sounded so hopeful that he couldn't help but laugh and tease her a little.

"What if I say no?"

"Well", she said with a slow smile, "then I'm going to die a little but respect your decision."

He chuckled and took her in his arms. "I wouldn't want to cause you any distress. If you _really _want to, you can take my pants off."

Her eyes were sparkling. "You're so kind. How can I possibly repay you?"

"I've got a feeling that you'll be able to think of something", he whispered, then kissed her.

She put her hand against his chest and, still kissing him, she gently pushed him down into the pillows. He suddenly noticed how at ease he felt, how natural this all was. He was in bed with a naked woman and he didn't feel awkward at all. The only thing he felt right now was an all-consuming desire for her. In fact, he was surprised that his brain was still functioning – it felt like all of the blood in his body was currently in one very specific location. The very thought that she was going to touch him there made him tremble, and he hoped to god he'd be able to keep a grip on himself.

She was kissing his neck now, and he groaned softly as her hand slid down his chest, over his stomach, to deftly undo the button of his pants, then the zipper. He lifted his hips and she pushed his pants down, then he kicked them off. She came to lie close beside him and kissed him again, while her hand slipped into his underwear. His feeling of comfort and ease immediately disappeared as he suddenly realized that he had no idea how he measured up compared to the other men she'd slept with. What if she was disappointed? But then her fingers brushed against him and every worry was driven out of his mind, leaving only a single thought: _god yes_.

She stroked him for a few moments and he couldn't breathe, he couldn't move – she was touching him so delicately, making him ache for more. Then she wrapped her fingers around him and he inhaled sharply and tightened his arm around her waist, then he turned his head and kissed her, hard.

"Raquel", he whispered against her lips, "I want you, I want you so badly."

"Oh, thank god", she said, withdrawing her hand. "I don't think I could wait another second."

He smiled in delight as he took off his underwear. "You're very eager."

She grinned. "You bet I am. I've been fantasizing about you for _weeks. _Oh, I'm going to enjoy this _so much_."

"Do we need a condom?"

"No, I've got an IUD, I can't get pregnant."

She pushed him back into the pillows with a firm hand, and he bit his lip as she came to sit astride him. He loved that she was taking control, making it easy for him, and he couldn't imagine anything sexier than seeing her on top of him, watching as she took hold of him and guided him inside. When she sank down on him, it was such total bliss that it took his breath away. He couldn't believe how good it felt to be inside of her – she was so warm, so soft, so wet, and when she started moving, the pleasure of it was so great that he feared for a moment that he would lose control immediately, but then he took a deep breath and focused on _her. _She was moving up and down now, and the sight of her was glorious: her hair streaming over her shoulders, her lips slightly parted to let out a soft moan every time she sank down on him, and _god, _the way she moved her hips was driving him almost past endurance.

He gripped her hips with one hand, then let his other hand drift between her legs, placing his thumb on the spot she'd shown him earlier. He immediately knew he'd made the right call, as she threw her head back and moaned, and he drew tight circles as she started riding him harder. She was breathing fast now, her chest flushed, her eyes tightly closed, her hands on his chest, and he couldn't stop looking at her as his fingers continued their work. When she suddenly tensed, he bucked his hips to take her deeper, again and again and again, and she started trembling, making the most delicious sounds, and he had to keep a tight rein on himself not to be tipped over the edge as her nails bit into his chest while she cried out, shaking, clenching around him as the orgasm rushed through her for several long moments. Then she collapsed down on him and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair as she caught her breath.

After a few moments, she looked up and kissed him deeply.

"I like your stamina", she murmured approvingly, and he felt a warm glow of pride at her words. "I love that we don't have to stop yet."

He tightened his arms around her waist and whispered: "Please stay close to me now."

"Of course", she said softly, and she kissed him deeply and sensuously as she slowly started moving again, keeping her body pressed against his, making him sigh in ecstasy. This was it, he thought, this must be the best feeling in the world. He'd never felt so close to another person in his life, and he never wanted it to stop, he wished they could keep this going forever. But she was kissing his neck now, and he knew that he wouldn't last much longer – the way she was moving was too good, her naked body in his arms too sexy, and when she bit his earlobe, he gasped and closed his eyes. She quickened the pace, letting out a small, whispered 'oh!' every time he filled her up, and the tension that had been building within him was fast becoming unbearable.

"That feels so good", she murmured in his ear. "You feel so amazing inside of me."

Her words tipped him over the edge. He held her tight and buried his face in her hair as the tension inside him peaked and broke, sending wave after wave of pleasure through him, making him gasp for breath as the orgasm rocked him, moment after glorious moment. Finally, gradually, the sensation receded and he relaxed again, breathing hard, holding her close, his entire body buzzing with wonder and satisfaction.

"Oh god", he whispered, stunned. "Oh god, Raquel. _Oh my god_."

She kissed his cheek and smiled. "Was it better than you remembered it?"

"_Better_?" he said. "That doesn't even _begin_ to cover it. This doesn't compare in the slightest, Raquel, I don't know what you did to me but _oh_! Sex never made me feel anything before, but now I felt… _everything_. It was so intense, so amazing. _You _are amazing."

She looked down at him with a delighted grin. "I'm glad you're so enthusiastic. So does that mean you'll want to do it again?"

He pulled her head down and kissed her. "Yes, please. Again and again and again." He sighed in disappointment. "In fact, I wish we could go again right now."

She laughed as she slid off him. "We still have time, give it an hour or so and then we can have another go."

She started to get off the bed, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her back.

"Where are you going?" he asked, nuzzling her neck.

"To the bathroom", she laughed. "To clean up. Can I?"

"I don't know", he murmured, pressing kisses to her shoulder. "How long will you be gone?"

"Ten minutes?"

"That's unacceptable. Make it five."

"Nine", she proposed, smiling.

"Six", he offered.

"How about we compromise at seven and a half?"

"Alright", he said, reluctantly letting her go. "But not a second longer."

She pressed a kiss to his lips. "I'll hurry."

He longingly looked after her as she crossed the room and disappeared into the small bathroom. After what he'd just experienced, he didn't want to be apart from her for even a second anymore, and he felt ridiculously eager for her to come back. When she came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and walked back to the bed, smiling at him, his breath caught at how lovely she was. He immediately took her in his arms again and kissed her hungrily.

"So", he said. "We have to wait an hour?"

"At your age? Yes, I think you'd need at least that much."

He considered her. "But you don't."

"Well, technically I don't, but…"

"Please", he murmured in her ear, running his fingers between her breasts and down her stomach. "An hour is too long. I can't wait a whole hour to hear you moan again."

He moved his hand back up and gently pinched a nipple, and she let out a soft 'oh!'.

"Yes", he breathed. "Just like that."

He reached down and stroked the inside of her thighs, and she opened her legs with a sigh.

"Raquel", he whispered. "I would love to know how you taste. Can I?"

She bit her lip in delight and nodded, then settled herself comfortably on her back as he moved down to sit between her legs. Then he hesitated and looked up at her.

"I've… actually never done this before", he admitted. "I may need a little guidance."

"That's perfectly alright", she smiled. "I don't mind guiding you."

He bent down and marveled at how she opened herself up to him. He started by kissing the inside of her thighs, slowly inching closer to her until she was squirming for contact. Then he stuck out his tongue and licked her, one broad upward stroke that made her shiver. He loved the taste of her, so he licked her again, and again, and again, making her sigh as she opened her legs wider. Then he pressed his mouth to her and started exploring her with his tongue, slowly and thoroughly, and she hummed her approval and reached down to twine her fingers into his hair. When his tongue reached the right spot, she immediately let him know by letting out a soft moan and tilting her hips, and he settled down there, circling and licking, trying out different things to see what made her react with the most enthusiasm.

"Oh!" she whispered. "That feels amazing."

He reached up and touched her with his fingers, delighted to feel that she was wet again. He slipped in two fingers and she let out a long, low moan as he started moving. After a few moments she lifted her head, her eyes soft and dark.

"Sergio", she murmured. "Curl your fingers up and see if you can feel a soft spot."

He felt around, but…"Everything feels soft", he said.

"A spot where the texture is a bit different. Almost… a little lower…" She suddenly gasped. "Oh! Yes, there exactly. Now push up, _hard_."

He did as she asked and she fell back into the pillows, moaning softly. He applied his mouth again and found just the right spot, then settled on a steady rhythm with both his tongue and his fingers, and soon she was breathing fast and clutching at the sheets.

"Yes", she breathed over and over again. "Don't stop!"

He continued, eager to make her come again, to feel her tremble and hear her cry out. Finally she tensed and grabbed his hair, and he loved every second of it as she arched her back and started shaking.

"Oh god!" she gasped loudly. "Oh, oh, ohhh!"

He kept going until she pushed against his head, then he eased off gradually and pulled back to look up at her. God, she looked amazing – her hair tousled and her cheeks flushed, breathing hard. He'd enjoyed that so much more than he thought he would, and he felt a little regretful that it was over so fast. Then he smiled as he had an idea.

"Raquel", he said, and she opened her eyes to give him a soft look. "Some women can have more than one orgasm, right?"

"Right", she said.

"What about you?"

"I'm not sure. Nobody's ever tried to make me come twice in a row."

That was beyond his comprehension. "Why not?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Honestly, as a woman you're lucky if the guy you're sleeping with cares enough to make you come even once."

"But what a waste of an amazing ability! And you haven't ever tried it on your own?"

"I'm a busy woman, Sergio, when I masturbate it's usually for quick tension relief."

He grinned. "Well then, let's try it out."

"I don't know", she protested weakly, "I may be too sensitive now, I…"

She stopped abruptly as he pressed his mouth to her again, then let herself fall back into the pillows with a sigh. When his tongue touched her _there_, she twitched.

"Careful!" she gasped, but then immediately afterwards: "No, wait, keep going! Oh, yes!"

He kept his touch feather-light as he licked her, and as he inserted two fingers again and pushed upwards, she arched her back and twined her fingers into the sheets. She was moaning with every breath now, and it only took a few minutes before she started trembling. He quickened the pace, and she suddenly tensed and rose up on her elbows, sobbing his name as the feeling crashed through her again in one short, intense burst. Afterwards, she immediately pushed his head away and fell back into the pillows, panting and shivering. He was feeling very pleased with himself as he moved up and took her in his arms, and she pressed her face against his chest and moaned softly as she shuddered through the aftershocks. He stroked her shoulder as he looked down at her, and felt such a rush of tenderness that it threatened to overwhelm him. She was so, so precious to him.

Finally she quieted down and opened her eyes, a little dazed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes", she breathed, then gave him a radiant smile. "Wow."

"That was so hot", he murmured. "Hearing you say my name when you were coming."

He shivered at the memory.

She blinked. "Did I say your name? I don't even remember."

"You came so fast", he smiled down at her.

"Yes", she said, surprised. "It was all so sensitive now."

He hesitated, then asked a little anxiously: "So… how did I do? Was it good for you?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously? You made me come _four times_ this afternoon and you ask if it was good for me?"

He gave her a shy smile. "Is that a yes?"

She laughed. "Yes, Sergio! God yes!" She pulled his head down and kissed him. "You were _amazing_. I don't know why you were nervous before, you're a natural."

"It's all thanks to you", he said earnestly. "You made me feel so at ease. I enjoyed it so much more than I ever thought I would."

"Good", she said, smiling broadly. "I have to admit I was a little apprehensive when you said you'd never liked sex before. I'm so glad you liked it this time."

"I loved it", he said softly, hugging her closer. "I've never felt like this before."

"Like what?"

"Like all I want in the world is to stay close to you."

She gave him a soft smile and stroked his cheek. "Then let's stay close."

"I loved sharing this with you", he whispered. "Thank you."

"I loved it too", she smiled.

He bent his head and kissed her. As he pressed his lips against hers and she stroked the back of his neck, he silently marveled at what she'd done to him. He never could have imagined the impact she would have on his life. He never could have imagined that today, on this grey, ordinary Tuesday afternoon, she would wake him up out of a slumber he hadn't even been aware of, and make him feel more alive than he ever had before. So he kissed her, again and again, because he didn't know how to thank her for that.


	15. Blessings

She insisted they did at least _some _cleaning – "It's disgusting, Sergio, really! – so they spent the last two hours of the afternoon in the control room, laughing and joking and generally getting very little cleaning done but a lot of kissing. Still, at least the puddles on the floor were gone by the time they left to go home, so Raquel was reasonably satisfied. Sergio eyed her critically as they stepped outside into the sunlight.

"How did you manage to get _that _much water on yourself?"

"I'm an enthusiastic cleaner", she shrugged.

He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. "You're enthusiastic at a lot of things."

"Are you complaining?" she smiled.

"Not in the least", he murmured, then leaned in for a long, deep kiss.

When they got into the car, however, she grimaced and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Oh, wet jeans are the _worst._"

He turned the key in the ignition and started to pull out of the parking spot, but he stopped abruptly as she started unbuttoning her pants.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking them off."

"You're… you're going to sit there… for the entire drive home… in your underwear?"

"We're in a car, nobody will see."

"_I'll _see."

She flashed him a grin. "Do you mind?"

He considered this. "You know what, I don't think I do."

"Good", she said, then wriggled out of her pants.

Driving back to the house in the state they were in was just plain irresponsible, Sergio thought to himself, but they had to get back _somehow_. They were both light-headed and giddy, and he kept missing turns because he was looking at _her _rather than the road. When it happened for the third time, she couldn't stop laughing.

"You are adorable", she smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

He frowned as he turned the car around. "Don't distract me even _more_. It's going to take us a week to get home if we keep going like this."

"I expected more mental fortitude from you, Professor", she teased. "I didn't think you'd be this easily distracted."

"I was _allowing _myself to be distracted", he said with dignity. "If I choose to focus, nothing can break my concentration."

She grinned. "Nothing?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Well…", she said, "Why don't you focus on the traffic then?"

"I will", he said, and firmly fixed his eyes on the road ahead, determined not to so much as glance in her direction again.

After only a few minutes, though, he suddenly felt her hand on his knee. He swallowed hard as she started to move it up his thigh.

"Stop that", he warned her sternly.

"Stop what?" she asked in her most innocent tone.

"What you're doing is very dangerous."

"What am I doing?"

"You're distracting your driver."

She grinned. "I thought my driver couldn't _be _distracted?"

"True", he said quickly, squaring his shoulders. "I am a fortress."

"I'm sure you are", she murmured, then leaned in to kiss his neck.

He steeled himself. "You're not going to break me."

"Of course not", she said, running her fingers through his hair.

He had to close his eyes for just a second at the feeling of it. Damn it, why did she affect him so much? He'd never been susceptible to this kind of thing, but now he could feel his brain cloud over at her merest touch. Her hand was sneaking higher up his thigh and, to his embarrassment, he felt his body react to her automatically. He quickly pushed her hand away.

"If you can't behave yourself, I'm going to pull over and put you in the back seat", he threatened.

"I'm sorry", she teased. "I thought you were a fortress?"

He took a deep breath and, as she kissed his neck again, he tightened his hands on the wheel until his knuckles whitened. He could resist her. He was stronger than this. This was a battle of wills, and he wasn't about to lose. He could control himself. He could… But when she bit his earlobe and he nearly crashed into a tree, he had to admit defeat. She was a force of nature – he might as well try to resist gravity.

He pulled the car over to the side of the road and immediately turned to kiss her, and she threw her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with enthusiasm.

"That was easier than I thought it would be", she smiled.

"It's not my fault", he grumbled. "You're objectively irresistible, it's not fair. I can't keep my hands off you."

"Well, that makes two of us", she murmured, pressing her lips against his again. "Oh, this stupid seatbelt!"

He heard her seatbelt click, and the next moment she was astride his lap, kissing him fiercely. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as he kissed her back, feeling like it had been an eternity since he'd last held her rather than an hour. Her hands were in his hair, on his shoulders, on his chest, and then her fingers were unbuttoning his pants.

He stopped her hand, alarmed. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

"This is a publicroad!"

"Correction", she said, her eyes sparkling. "It's a _deserted _road."

"People could drive past at any time!"

"Unlikely", she said, kissing him again. "And honestly, I don't care if they do."

"But…"

"Of course", she said slowly as she ran her fingers through his hair, "if you don't want to…"

She pressed her hips against him and he gasped.

"… we don't have to…"

She bent her head to kiss his neck, and he closed his eyes and groaned.

"… please don't feel…" She pressed her hips against him again. "… obligated."

He couldn't believe how much he wanted her. She smelled so good, she felt so good in his arms, her mouth on his so soft, then hungry and insistent – so hot – the way she moved her hips against him driving him crazy. But what made him truly lose all restraint was the realization that she wanted him – she really wanted him. How could he say no to that?

He pulled her head down and kissed her. He kept one hand in her hair, and slid his other hand down her back, over her hips, to run it over her bare thigh. Then he moved it back up to her lower back so he could press her even closer against him. Her shirt hung open, so he bent his head and nipped at her nipples through her top, making her utter little gasps as she twined her fingers into his hair. This time, when she started undoing his pants, he didn't stop her, and he groaned softly as she drew him out. The next moment, she lifted her hips, pushed her underwear to the side and guided him in, letting out a long, quiet 'ohhh' as she sank down on him, and fireworks started going off in his brain. She pressed her lips against his as she started riding him, slowly at first, and he savored the feeling of being inside her, the ecstasy of it as she enveloped him fully. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight. After a few minutes, she picked up the pace, and soon they were both breathing hard, little moans escaping from her lips every time she took him in. She felt so incredibly good around him, he knew he wouldn't be able to stand it much longer, and as she rode him harder, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the tension building inside him. A few moments later, he buried his face against her shoulder as his arms tightened around her, then he shuddered and groaned as the feeling swept through him in a fiery wave, making him shiver and tingle all over.

She moved up and down a few more times, then she stopped and held him close as he leaned against her in a state of absolute bliss.

"That was amazing", he whispered, and she smiled and kissed him.

"It sure was."

She leaned back for a moment to catch her breath, and accidentally pressed against the car horn, which honked loudly. They both jumped, then started laughing uncontrollably, the tension broken.

"Oh", she said, wiping her eyes. "It feels so good to laugh. It's been so long."

"I love hearing you laugh", he murmured, pulling her in for another kiss.

"I've got a feeling you haven't laughed much in your life", she said, stroking his hair.

"No", he admitted. "I've never had the necessary… lightness of spirit. But you make me laugh. I love that about you. In fact, you make me do a lot of things I never thought I'd do. Like have sex in a car right by the side of the road."

She grinned. "I can't believe we didn't even make it to the house. How are we possibly going to keep our hands off each other for entire days of classes?"

"I don't know", he said earnestly. "I'm not sure I'll be able to bear it. I wanted you so desperately just now."

They kissed again, and he sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"What have you done to me, Raquel? I don't recognize myself anymore. I'm not the man I was mere months ago."

She hesitated. "Do you mind? Would you prefer to go back, if you could?"

"No", he whispered. "Not for the world."

…

When they were almost back to the house, Sergio stopped the car one more time so she could put her pants back on and they could have one last kiss. Then they broke apart reluctantly and he drove around the last bend, to where the others were gathered around the table outside.

"Is anyone preparing dinner?" Sergio asked.

"Rio and Tokyo", Moscow answered. "They said it would be at least half an hour yet."

"Then I'm going to take a shower", Raquel said, and she disappeared inside.

Sergio let himself drop into the chair next to Nairobi, who took one look at him and raised her eyebrows.

"Looks like you had a good time cleaning."

He cleared his throat and said carefully: "It was alright."

"Oh, I think it was more than alright", she teased.

He quickly glanced around the table, but the others were talking among themselves and not paying attention to them. Still, he remained evasive.

"I don't know what you mean."

She grinned broadly. "You're not fooling me, Profe."

He gave her a dignified look. "I don't know what assumptions you're making, but I can assure you that…"

"You missed a button on your shirt", she said drily, then laughed as he turned bright red and hastened to fasten it.

"I… I think I'll go and look for Berlin", he said, getting up hastily.

"You do that", she said, amused.

He hurried inside and went looking for his brother. He found him at the desk in the classroom, reading through some notes. He drew up a chair and sat down on the other side of the desk.

"How did the studying go?"

"Good", Berlin said, without looking up. "I just sent them outside ten minutes ago. How was cleaning?"

"Fine. We didn't get everything done though, we'll have to go back."

Berlin looked up at him and immediately narrowed his eyes. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Like what?" he said, quickly adopting a more neutral expression.

His brother studied him closely. "You look like a cat who got the cream."

Sergio shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Was he _that _obvious? "It was just nice getting out of the house for a while."

"Yes", his brother said slyly, "Especially in good company, right?"

"Raquel is… pleasant company, yes."

"I thought you were going to stay away from her?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, I… I gave it some serious thought and I changed my mind about that."

"Are you no longer in love with her?"

He felt himself go red. "That's… uhm… not exactly…"

His brother's face suddenly broke into a wide grin. "You slept with her, didn't you?"

"What? I… no!"

"Yes you did!" Berlin grinned appreciatively. "And not a minute too soon. Well done, little brother. I'm glad to see you came to your senses."

"But how could you possibly tell?" Sergio said, exasperated.

"You look much too happy and satisfied for a man who is supposed to be thwarted by love." He chuckled. "Ah, that explains it."

"Explains what?"

"I heard Raquel come in earlier and she was humming." His brother flashed him a grin. "Looks like you did a good job."

Sergio couldn't help but feel pleased, and Berlin laughed.

"By the look on your face, I'm assuming you're going to do it again?"

"As soon as possible", Sergio said without thinking, then blushed as his brother laughed again.

"So you're together now?"

"Yes", he said, feeling a warm, bright sense of joy at hearing his brother say it. "Yes, we are."

Berlin gave him a fond look. "Well, who would have thought it? My baby brother finally found someone he likes."

Sergio just couldn't contain a smile. "I do. I like her so much." It felt so good to be able to talk to someone about this. "Andrés, I can't describe this feeling. She's so amazing."

His brother raised his eyebrows. "And judging from your general air of satisfaction, pretty good in bed."

He felt himself redden slightly, but he couldn't resist mumbling: "That's an understatement."

"Good for you", Berlin grinned.

"Please don't tell any of the others though."

"No", Berlin said, amused. "I don't suppose you'd want them to know that their leader is breaking his own rules."

"I don't know how this happened to me", Sergio said quietly. "I thought I was stronger than this."

"It has nothing to do with strength, Sergio. There are some forces in the universe that we weren't made to resist."

"I tried", he said. "I really tried."

"You don't have to apologize to me. I don't care if you've broken some silly rule."

"It's not silly to me, Andrés", Sergio said seriously. "I worry about this. I don't know how she will affect me during the operation."

"I'm sure she'll be great for a little tension relief", his brother grinned.

"We can't do that during the operation!" he said, alarmed. "One of us will need to man the screens at all times. What if something crucial happens while we're… distracted?"

"I'm sure nobody's going to die just because you're having sex."

"You can't know that."

Berlin gave him a skeptical look. "So you're going to spend ten days with her in one room, and you're not going to sleep with her once?"

Sergio hesitated as he remembered that they hadn't even made it through a two-hour car ride together.

"It's… it's going to get easier, right?"

"What is?"

"Keeping my hands off her."

His brother grinned. "You've really got it bad, haven't you?"

"I know", he sighed. "But is it? Going to get easier?"

"Sure, but not for the first few months."

He groaned, but his brother said: "Don't worry so much about it. You'll have other things on your mind by then, I'm sure you'll be able to focus on the operation."

Sergio sighed. "I can't honestly say that I regret that this happened, but I know it would have been better if it hadn't. If I hadn't recruited her."

Berlin considered him for a moment. "Sergio, tell me something. Has there ever been a point in your life when you could say you were truly happy?"

He hesitated. "No."

"And unless I'm much mistaken, you're happy now?"

"Yes", he whispered. "I am."

"Then I advise you to stop worrying and just enjoy it. Who knows how long it will last? We may all be dead by November. Take this happiness while you can, little brother. Life is short."

Sergio gave his brother a pained look. "I know. Andrés…"

But Berlin shook his head. "We said we wouldn't talk about it. Let's go have dinner."

They both got up, but before they reached the door, Sergio took his brother by the arm and hugged him. Berlin patted him on the back.

"Count your blessings, Sergio. There are worse things in life than to be distracted by love."

…

That evening after dinner, he was the first to go up to his bedroom. Waiting the agreed upon thirty minutes for her was agony – it seemed like forever ago since he'd last held her. When she finally opened his bedroom door and slipped inside, he immediately opened his arms and she let herself fall onto the bed and cuddled up to him. They spent the evening in each other's arms, talking softly, kissing often. Finally, she checked her watch and sighed regretfully.

"It's past midnight. I suppose I'd better go to my room."

"No, don't go yet", he murmured, hugging her closer.

"But we need to sleep", she reasoned.

"Ten more minutes?"

"We have class in the morning."

"Yes, I know, you're right", he said, letting her go with the utmost reluctance.

She pressed one more kiss to his lips, then slowly got off the bed and walked across the room, looking back at him. God, he hated to see her go.

"Goodnight", she whispered at the door.

"Goodnight", he said, a sinking feeling in his stomach as she opened the door and went out.

He missed her immediately. There was a cold emptiness where she had been, and the next eight hours loomed dark and seemingly endless before him, promising another sleepless night in which he wouldn't be able to think about anything but _her_. After today, he didn't want to be apart from her anymore – it felt so unnatural, after the closeness they'd shared. But they had to sleep, and… Something suddenly clicked in his brain, and he scrambled out of bed.

He was almost at the door when it opened and she came back in, an apologetic look on her face.

"Sergio…. what if I slept here?" she asked, at the exact same instant that he said:

"Please sleep here."

She gave him a radiant smile and threw her arms around his neck to kiss him.

"Oh thank god", she murmured. "I really didn't want to sleep alone tonight."

"Me neither", he said, hugging her close.

"I wasn't sure if I should ask you. I thought maybe you liked your space when sleeping."

"I'll gladly share my space with you."

She kissed him. "I'll go put on my pajamas."

She walked towards the door, then turned around again. "You know, it's a very warm night."

"It is", he said. "What's your point?"

She smiled. "What if we didn't put on any pajamas?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You want to sleep naked?"

"Wouldn't it be nice?" she murmured, coming close to him. "To sleep without anything between us?"

He honestly couldn't think of anything nicer. He quickly undressed, then got into bed. She remained standing by the side of the bed for a moment, hesitating.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked her.

"It's a very small bed."

"Then we'll have to sleep close together", he smiled.

"Are you sure you don't mind? Will you be able to sleep?"

"I don't know", he admitted. "We'll have to see. But I'd rather lie awake with you next to me than sleep without you."

She smiled and got between the sheets. "Do you remember the last time we shared a bed, in that hotel? You couldn't get far enough away from me then." She grinned. "I hope you won't fall out of bed this time."

"I remember thinking the next morning I would give anything to sleep next to you again", he said softly. "But I didn't think it would ever be possible."

She kissed him tenderly.

"How do you like to sleep?"

"On my side."

"Perfect", she smiled. "Then you can spoon me."

"What?"

She turned onto her side. He followed her example, and she shifted closer to him, fitting her body against his and taking his arm to tuck it around her waist, her fingers intertwining with his. He couldn't believe how lovely it felt to lie so close to her, to have her naked in his arms, his skin lighting up where it touched hers until he felt illuminated from the inside out as their bodies connected full-length. He pressed his lips against her bare shoulder and breathed in the sweet scent of her skin.

"Thank you", he whispered.

"What for?"

"For today. It's been… just amazing, Raquel. You're so wonderful.

She nestled herself even closer against him. "I've had a wonderful day too."

She soon fell asleep in his arms, and the deep, even sound of her breathing was so soothing, making him sleepy too, but every time he started to drift off, he forced himself awake again – he didn't want to sleep just yet. He wanted to savor it all: her warmth, her softness, the wonderful feeling of her body against his – finally, after months of longing, there was nothing separating them anymore. The thought that she would be with him all night, and that she would be the first thing he would see when he opened his eyes in the morning made him indescribably happy. _Count your blessings_, he heard his brother say, so he thought: her laugh. Her voice. Her kisses. His arm around her waist and her hand in his. Her kindness, and the light in her eyes as she smiled. Her touch. He felt himself slipping into sleep with a warm, fuzzy feeling of utter contentment. _Count your blessings. _This moment, he thought, hugging her tight. This moment.


	16. Morning

Since he wasn't used to sharing a bed with another person, Sergio had feared that he might not be able to sleep very much, but he slept unexpectedly well. He kept half-waking in the middle of the night to reach for her, instinctively seeking out her warmth and nearness, only to fall asleep again immediately with a warm sense of contentment once she cuddled up to him. When he woke up in the morning, she wasn't touching him, and for a fleeting moment he felt with a horrible certainty that she wouldn't be there when he opened his eyes, that it had all been a dream – but then he turned around and there she was, and his heart started beating faster at the very sight of her. What an inexpressible joy it was to wake up next to her, for her face to be the first thing he saw in the morning, so beautiful and serene, the beams of the rising sun playing over her skin. He just kept looking at her and looking at her, feeling like the luckiest man alive, feeling like there couldn't possibly be a better way to start the day.

She turned onto her other side, so he shifted closer and, careful not to wake her, he wrapped his arm around her waist and fitted his body to hers. She made a small sound of contentment and pressed herself closer to him, which made him wake up in more ways than one. He was suddenly very aware of her naked body in his arms, her skin warm against his, and the most tantalizing memories of yesterday's events started crowding his mind, making his body react with embarrassing enthusiasm. In his mind's eye, he saw her again on the bed in the back-up location, gasping as he touched her, arching her back with a moan. He relived the feeling of having her sink down on him, first on the bed and later again in the car, and he felt a deep, aching longing to experience it again – that exquisite sensation, that closeness.

He was painfully hard by now, but he wasn't sure about the etiquette – would it be impolite to wake her for this? Was he allowed to make the first move, or should he wait for her to show an interest? What if she wasn't in the mood? What if she felt obligated? He decided he didn't want to risk it, so he stayed perfectly still, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths in an attempt to diffuse his desire for her. It was still so new to him, this desire for another person, and he wasn't sure how to deal with it, a little alarmed by how intense it was. He tried to force his thoughts in a different direction, but it was impossible to focus on anything except her body against his. He was just thinking that maybe he'd better get up and take a cold shower when she yawned and shifted against him, sending another stab of longing straight through him.

"Good morning", she murmured, her eyes still closed.

He nuzzled her ear. "Good morning. In fact, great morning. I can't remember a better one."

She smiled. "I think we can still improve on it."

"Really?" he said, trying not to sound too hopeful. "How?"

She responded by pressing herself even closer to him, and he groaned softly.

"Oh, Raquel. Are you sure you want to?"

"I want to", she whispered. "Just… gently. I'm not really awake yet."

"Let me help you with that", he murmured.

He started by pressing kisses to her neck and shoulder, and she hummed her approval, then she lifted her head so he could put his arm underneath it to lie even closer to her. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in deeply – the smell of her was so intoxicating, it made his head spin. His fingers were roaming over her skin, gently stroking her arm, her stomach, her hip, her thigh. She responded with soft sounds of contentment, and after a while he reached his hand up and cupped a breast, stroking her nipple with his thumb until it hardened.

"A little more", she whispered, so he squeezed it and was thrilled when he heard her sigh.

He kept kissing her neck as he alternated between stroking and squeezing her nipples until her breathing quickened and she started moving her hips against him ever so slightly, driving him half-mad with longing. Suddenly she took his hand and moved it downwards, making him smile. She opened her legs to allow him access, and he started exploring her with careful fingers, keeping a tight rein on his desire, patiently waiting to ensure that she was ready – more than ready – for him. He dipped his hand between her legs and slipped in one finger, then, feeling how wet she was, a second one. He still couldn't quite fathom that this was really happening, that her body was reacting to him with the same enthusiasm as his was to her. He wondered for a moment if she could possibly want him as much as he wanted her, but then she tilted her hips so she was pressed hard against his palm, and he tentatively allowed himself to believe that, yes, she did. It was the most amazing feeling.

"Are you ready?" he murmured in her ear.

"Yes", she whispered. "Oh, yes."

He withdrew his hand and guided himself to her, and she let out a low, drawn-out moan as he pressed into her ever so slowly, closing his eyes to really savor it: her softness, her warmth. He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her tight as he started moving inside her, and she intertwined her fingers with his and sighed with pleasure at every stroke. They took their time, their bodies still a little heavy with sleep, their movements slow and languorous. Sergio was surprised all over again at how good it felt – somehow, since yesterday, he'd already partly forgotten the exact feeling of it, how amazing she felt around him, how connected it made him feel. He had a suspicion that it would keep surprising him, over and over again, for a long time until he got used to it. He hoped he'd never get used to it.

He wanted nothing more than to make it just as good for her, so he moved his hand down between her legs and let his fingers try out different things, until she gasped: "yes!" and he struck up a rhythm. She put her hand on his to indicate the pressure she wanted, and soon she was breathing fast, little whispered moans escaping her lips. He thought regretfully of the delicious sounds she'd made yesterday when they didn't need to worry about anyone overhearing them, and resolved to take her back to a private place as soon as was humanly possible. He kept up his movements, and when he felt her tense, he picked up the pace just a little – just enough. She suddenly gasped and started trembling in his arms, then turned her face into the pillow to stifle her moans, squeezing his hand between her thighs as she contracted around him. He carefully kept himself in check so he could stay focused on her as he eased off gradually, making her shiver with the aftershocks. Then he halted, giving her a moment to recover and catch her breath.

She heaved a deep sigh of contentment, then whispered "go on", and he gratefully pressed into her again, feeling about ready to burst. Sure enough, it only took a few more strokes for the pressure inside of him to reach a peak, and he buried his face against her shoulder and groaned softly as he let himself go, little lights dancing behind his closed eyelids as the absolute pleasure of it washed over him. He pushed himself deep inside her one more time, then he lay still, panting, feeling a warm glow of satisfaction spread through his entire body. He hugged her tighter and pressed soft kisses to her neck. What a way to start the day. _Holy hell._

After a while, she turned around and pushed him onto his back so she could lie close against him, her arm over his chest, one leg over his, and her head in the hollow of his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed happily. What a feeling this was. What an absolutely wonderful feeling. His mind was pleasantly fuzzy, but as he gradually came back to his senses, he became aware that something extraordinary was happening to him, and as he held her, he realized what it was.

He'd never felt so close to another person. After a lifetime of self-imposed isolation and a constant, gnawing sense of loneliness he'd taken for granted, it was filling him with wonder. He hadn't thought this could happen to him, hadn't thought he was even capable of making this kind of connection. It had always felt so far removed from his lived reality – something that other people experienced as a matter of course, but that was beyond his grasp. Not that he wanted it, he'd always told himself. A life of the mind was infinitely preferable: clean, focused, unencumbered. Now she cuddled closer to him, and he kissed her hair and realized what a fool he'd been to discard an entire aspect of the human experience. He'd always realized that it was a major motivating force for most people, but he'd never understood it – until now. She was reframing the world for him, refocusing his view on life to a perfect, crystalline clarity he'd never experienced before, vividly reminding him of the first time he'd put on glasses and suddenly seen things clearly. This was important. This was what truly mattered.

A thought occurred to him, so alarming that it took his breath away.

"Raquel", he whispered.

"Mmm?" she responded, her eyes closed.

"Do you realize… we almost never met."

"What do you mean?" she said, looking up at him sleepily.

"All of this… you and me… it almost didn't happen."

This feeling, this beautiful, newly-discovered happiness had almost passed him by, and he shuddered to even consider it.

She frowned and seemed to wake up properly as she focused on him. "Why not?"

"I almost didn't recruit you. I still remember the exact moment I made that decision. I'd been following your court case, and then I heard about your conviction, that you'd been sentenced to prison. You need to know, my plan had been finalized for over a year. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make any last-minute changes to it, because I knew I wouldn't have the time to really think through all the possible consequences. I remember staring at the file I made about you, trying to make up my mind. I closed it. I _closed _it, Raquel. I decided against recruiting you."

She was staring at him. "What made you change your mind?"

"A picture of you had fallen out of the folder. I picked it up to put it back, but then, for some reason, I took a closer look at it. It was a picture of you, in handcuffs, being led from the courtroom to a police car. You looked tired but undefeated – you held your head high, your shoulders back. At that moment, I decided that I wanted you on my team. Life had thrown so many horrible things at you, and yet you weren't broken. I admired that. I thought you might prove valuable to the operation, so I re-opened your file and went through it again. I decided to risk the last-minute change for the possibility of significantly improving the plan."

"So you almost didn't bust me out of that prison van", she said softly.

"That's right", he said, a burning feeling in his chest at the thought. "I almost didn't."

"I didn't know you hesitated about recruiting me", she said. "Just imagine. If the circumstances had been slightly different, I would have been in prison now."

The thought of her in a prison cell made his blood pound in his ears. He tightened his arms around her and hugged her protectively.

"It's so strange to think how much depended on that exact moment", he said. "If that photograph hadn't fallen out of that folder… if I'd put it back without a second look… if any of a thousand factors had been different, influencing my decision… we wouldn't have been here."

"I don't want to think about that", she whispered.

"Yet I can't help but wonder about it", he said. "How such a small decision, a moment that seems so insignificant at the time, can impact your life in such a major way. We all make decisions like that every day. Tiny, throwaway choices, not worth thinking about too much. But any of them can end up changing your life."

He kissed her hair.

"I was right about one thing though", he continued. "I could never have foreseen the consequences of recruiting you. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think we'd end up here."

"Me neither", she said. "You know, I had a fundamentally decisive moment as well."

"Tell me."

"When those armed men you sent stopped our van and asked me to come with them. I hesitated. I almost said no. That's another decision that almost kept us apart. They said they would bring me to the Professor – I never imagined in that moment they would bring me to _you_."

He smiled. "Do you remember what you thought when you first saw me?"

"Who the fuck is this dude?" she laughed. "I remember thinking that you didn't look nearly intimidating enough to be a gang leader. In fact, you looked a little nervous. Were you?"

"I was", he nodded. "By then I'd decided that I wanted you on my team. I'd already started adapting the plan, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to persuade you. I had a feeling that you had a strong moral code, and I knew it wouldn't be easy to convince you to break it."

"What did you think when you first saw me?"

"You surprised me. I'd only seen pictures of you, I hadn't expected you to have such a… presence."

"A presence?" she smiled.

"Yes. You were so wary when you came in, so suspicious – and you had every right to be, of course. There was a quiet intensity to you. You looked ready for anything. I knew immediately you'd be a formidable opponent if you chose to be."

"You know", she said thoughtfully. "We almost were."

"What?"

"Opponents. What if things had gone differently for me? What if Alberto hadn't been such a bastard, and had accepted the divorce quietly? Then I would have been your negotiator during the heist."

"Yes", he smiled at the thought. "And you would have been in charge of the team fighting against us."

"You like that idea?" she asked, noticing his smile.

"I have to admit that I do. I would have loved going toe to toe with you. We're well-matched."

"You think you could have outsmarted me?"

"I think I could", he said smugly.

"Don't flatter yourself", she huffed. "I'm sure I would have caught you in the end."

"I suppose we'll never know", he smiled, and kissed her hair again. "So do you think we'll get caught during the heist?"

"No", she said drily. "Because I'll be on _your _side now."

He laughed. "Aren't we cocky?"

"I know my worth", she said. "My colleagues are good, but I was the best. They don't stand a chance against you and me. We make a great team."

"Yes", he said softly. "We do."

Her eyes got a faraway look. "That's another situation in which we never would have gotten together: if I'd been your negotiator."

He gave it some thought. "Are you sure about that?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "Of course. We would have been on opposite sides, communicating only through headsets."

"I still think there's a chance that we might have ended up together."

"Really?" she said. "How? How would we even have met in person?"

"It's always been my plan to try to establish contact with the leader of the case."

"What? Why would you put yourself at risk like that?"

"It's not really a risk, they wouldn't know who I am. And it could yield valuable information or insights into the investigation."

"So how would you have contacted me?"

"Your favorite café in the neighborhood of the Mint is Hanoi, right?"

"Yes", she said, surprised. "How did you know?"

"I researched you", he reminded her. "So I would have waited there for you."

"How would you have established contact at the café?"

He shrugged. "I would have found a way."

"I would have been so suspicious though", she laughed. "If a random guy in a café started asking me questions during an investigation of that magnitude, I would have assumed he was an undercover journalist."

"I would have convinced you", he said firmly. "I would have gotten you to talk to me."

"You seem very sure of that."

"I am", he said earnestly. "Raquel, if I'd seen you anywhere, under any circumstances, I know I would have fallen for you, hard. If I'd somehow managed to find you, no matter how, no matter when, don't think for a moment that I would have let you get away."

"You would still have been a criminal, and I would still have been a cop."

"I think I would have been able to persuade you to join us."

She raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes, because I know your weak spot."

"My weak spot?"

He winked at her. "You can't resist my charms."

That made her laugh. "Very true, you _are _pretty irresistible. But the heist is only going to last for ten days at the most. Do you think that would have been sufficient time to get to know each other well enough to establish a real connection?"

"I don't think we would have needed much time. We're right for each other, Raquel. I think we would have recognized that no matter the circumstances."

"Yes", she said quietly. "Maybe we would have."

They were silent for a moment, each caught up in their own thoughts. Then she hugged him tighter and sighed.

"You're right though", she said. "We came so close to never meeting."

"And yet", he said softly, "I feel like my whole life has led up to this exact moment."

He reflected how everything he'd ever thought or done, every decision he'd made which seemed meaningless at the time, had served to bring him closer to her. How all the different aspects of his life and hers had been separate strands in a tapestry being woven, two different patterns that never touched each other, but that inevitably came closer and closer to finally merge and make one bigger, better, brighter pattern. He could only hope they'd never separate again.

They both jumped as the alarm on his phone suddenly went off.

"Time to get up", she said regretfully as he pushed a button. "I'm going to take a shower. Check to see if the coast is clear?"

They got out of bed and he stuck his head out the door, making sure there was nobody else in the hallway before gesturing for her to go. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips, then slipped out. He wished with all his might that he could shower with her, but the risk of bumping into someone on their way out of the bathroom was just too big. He let himself fall back into bed and buried his face in her pillow to see if it smelled like her. It did, and he breathed in deeply, feeling like his head and chest were filled with champagne bubbles. He would sleep next to her again tonight, and tomorrow, and the night after that… what a glorious thought. The only difficulty now, he reflected, would be to keep their relationship hidden from the others. The day suddenly seemed very long to him – an eternity in which he would have to keep his hands off of her before she would be in his arms again tonight. For a moment, he was _very _tempted to order the team to studying for another day so he could take her to the back-up location again… but then he shook his head. He had to be strong now. He was sure he could resist her for a day. After all, he'd be thinking about other things while he was teaching. He hummed softly as he got out of bed and started selecting his clothes for the day. Really, how hard could it be?


	17. Teach

It promised to be a hot day. Sergio looked up from the breakfast table to see Raquel coming down the stairs wearing a light summer dress instead of her usual pants and shirt, and his breath caught in his throat. She looked so lovely. He couldn't stop looking at her legs as she walked towards the table, and when she sat down, he noticed how her hair fell over her bare shoulders, making him remember that he'd been kissing those shoulders only an hour ago. He could still feel her soft skin against his lips, her gentle curves under his hands. She caught his eye across the table and winked, which made him feel rather hot around the collar. Oh, he wanted to take her straight back upstairs, take off that dress and… the thought of it made him stir, and he quickly returned his attention to the food on his plate, feeling himself go red. Why did she have such an effect on him?

After breakfast, they all trailed up into the classroom, which was already getting rather warm, and settled behind their desks, Raquel taking her regular seat behind the others at the back of the class. Sergio took up position at the front of the room and, as always, he took his phone out of his pocket and placed it on the desk in front of him. Then he turned to the blackboard and started mapping out the key points of the next part of the plan, feeling himself slip back into that calm, focused state of absolute confidence that he always experienced when teaching. It was a relief after the insecurities he'd felt for the past few days, constantly wondering if he was doing things wrong, if he was going to mess up somehow, uncomfortable and unexperienced as he was with relationships. He felt none of that now – only the cool certainty that he knew perfectly well what he was doing. In this room, for a few hours every day, he could leave Sergio at the door and just be the Professor.

He turned around to face the team and started explaining the next stage of the plan to them. They listened to him attentively – all except Raquel, who had taken out her phone and was typing something. His eyes were suddenly drawn downwards as the phone on his desk lit up and a text message appeared on the screen:

You're very sexy when you teach ;)

He momentarily lost track of what he was saying, stumbling over his words as his eyes automatically sought her out and she winked. Then he cleared his throat and pointedly looked away from her, picking up his sentence again where he'd trailed off. From the corner of his eye, however, he noticed her take up her phone again, and when his screen lit up a second time, he couldn't resist the temptation to flash a quick look at it.

I think I might need some private tutoring later

He glanced up at her again and she raised a suggestive eyebrow. He really couldn't allow this.

"Lisbon", he said sternly. "Put your phone away and pay attention."

Everyone turned to look at Raquel, who quickly put her phone down.

"I'm sorry", she said.

He nodded and pointed at the blackboard.

"Point three…"

To his consternation, his phone lit up again.

Ooh, very firm, I like it!

He had great trouble suppressing a grin. When he looked up, she blew him a kiss, and he stumbled over his words again. He decided that teaching wasn't going to work this way.

"Alright", he said. "Enough new information for this morning. You spent all of yesterday studying part four of the plan, and I'd like to see how much you've learned."

He started handing out blank pieces of paper.

"Reproduce the twelve points of part four. Anyone who misses a point will spend tonight studying again."

They all groaned and sighed, but bent over their papers and started writing. When he handed Raquel her paper, he shook his head at her, but she merely grinned.

He returned to the front of the room, only to see his phone light up again.

You're a very good teacher

This time, he texted back.

You're a terrible student.

She responded immediately.

I can't help it. You distract me too much.

He snorted.

That's no excuse. Now write down part four.

I can't focus

You're going to fail the test.

It's okay, I'm sleeping with the teacher ;)

He suppressed a smile.

Do you think that will get you special treatment?

I'm sure we can make some sort of arrangement for a passing grade

He swallowed.

What kind of arrangement?

Feel free to be creative ;)

I cannot be bribed. All twelve points of part four, now.

Or what?

Or I'll put you to studying tonight.

Are you sure you want to do that?

He steeled himself.

Yes.

I can think of more enjoyable things we could be doing tonight…

The evening is long. You can study first.

Alright. But I think I'd be too tired to do anything afterwards

You're resorting to blackmail?

I sure am. Is it working?

No.

He hesitated, then followed up with:

Maybe.

He looked up to see her flash him a delighted grin, then she readjusted a strap of her dress which had fallen off her shoulder. He bit his lip.

You look amazing in that dress.

Thank you

But I'm sure you'll look even more amazing out of it.

Oh! Am I reading this right? Are you actually flirting with me?

I would never flirt during a class.

Then what was that last message?

A statement of fact.

She smiled, then considered him for a moment before returning to her phone.

You must be hot in that suit. Take off your jacket

He raised his eyebrows at her, and she gave him a challenging look. He slowly put down his phone and shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over the back of his desk chair.

Much better. Now roll up your sleeves

He did as she asked, and got another text.

Very nice. Now take off your tie

That's where he drew the line, however.

No.

Please?

No.

It's 30 degrees, nobody will think it weird if you take off your tie or even… dare I suggest it… open a button of your collar

My tie stays on.

Why do you even wear a tie in the first place?

I don't feel properly dressed without it.

I'd like to see you improperly dressed, though :)

Not going to happen.

What's stopping you?

My dignity. What do you have against my tie anyway?

It's one more thing I have to take off

He suppressed a smile.

Taking it off takes about ten seconds.

That's ten more seconds I'll have to wait tonight

Patience is a virtue.

I'm more into sin these days ;)

This time he couldn't suppress a grin.

You're a bad influence.

Not bad enough, apparently, since I can't even make you take off your tie

How about we compromise?

I'm listening!

He looked straight at her, then loosened his tie a little and opened the top button of his shirt. Her eyes were shining as she bent back over her phone.

Very, very sexy

Now you do something for me.

She looked up at him in surprise.

What?

WRITE DOWN THE TWELVE POINTS OF PART FOUR.

She stifled a laugh behind her hand, then picked up her pen and started writing.

…

She sat down next to him at lunch, outside in the shadow of a tree.

"That was an interesting class."

"You're a nuisance", he grumbled under his breath.

She gave him an amused look. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"No, I'm not."

"What happened to you? You used to be such a dedicated student."

"I found more interesting things to focus on."

Moscow and Oslo now sat down on either side of them, so they fell silent. Under the table, however, she bumped her knee against his, immediately attuning his body to hers again. He couldn't help glancing down at her bare legs under the table, and when she brushed her hair back, exposing the soft skin of her neck, suddenly all he could think about was kissing it. The sunlight through the leaves was throwing dappled shadows over her bare shoulders, and her dress revealed rather more cleavage than she usually showed, which made him imagine running his tongue…

"What are we doing this afternoon?" she asked, snapping him back to reality.

"More class. Why?"

"Oh, it's just that it's been weeks since we last practiced negotiations."

She leaned past him to grab the salt, and he was caught off guard by her sudden nearness, by the warm smell of her skin. He needed a moment to refocus.

"Well, we really do need…"

He trailed off as, under the table, she ran her hand up his thigh, sending a wave of longing through him and making his mind go fuzzy.

"You were saying?" she prompted him innocently.

He shook his head to clear it. "We really do need to get through the next part of the plan."

"Too bad", she said lightly, turning to her food. "I was in the mood for a thorough session of _hard _negotiations."

He stared at her for a moment, then cleared his throat and turned to the team. "It's too hot for classes today. You all get the afternoon off."

They all cheered, and immediately started making plans for going into the village for ice cream. He did notice, however, that Nairobi shot him a rather knowing look, so he quickly bent over his plate and started eating.

After lunch, the rest of the group stayed outside, while he and Raquel headed back in and up the stairs to the classroom. The moment he closed and locked the door, she grabbed his shirt and pushed him up against it, kissing him fiercely. As he kissed her back, however, he became aware that something was shifting inside of him. The room was having its usual effect on him, making Sergio disappear, causing the Professor to emerge. In this room, he was in charge. In this room, he knew what to do and what he wanted. And he knew exactly what he wanted.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and turned her around to push her hard against the door, pressing his body against hers. She let out an 'oh!' of surprise, but then wrapped her arms around his neck in delight, responding enthusiastically to his kisses. His hands were all over her – he wanted to touch her everywhere at once, one hand disappearing under her dress to run up her thigh, the other cupping a breast. When he felt her nipple harden, he squeezed it, hard, and she moaned against his lips. He put his hand over her mouth for a moment to remind her to be quiet, and she bit the inside of his palm, which sent such a stab of arousal through him that he almost took her right up against the door.

Instead he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground, making her gasp and clutch at him, but then she relaxed and kissed him as he carried her to the desk. He sat her down on it, still kissing her, then pushed her knees apart so he could stand between her legs. He twined his fingers into her hair and tugged sharply to tilt her head back so he could kiss her neck. She sighed, her own fingers churning in his hair as she surrendered to him, leaning back as he trailed kisses down her chest, then nipped at her nipples with this teeth through the fabric of her dress. When she moaned softly, he suddenly couldn't wait any longer. He pushed her down onto the desk with a firm hand, then let his hands disappear under the skirt of her dress to find her underwear.

"Lift you hips", he ordered her, and when she obeyed him, he pulled off her panties and threw them aside.

He grabbed her hips and roughly pulled her closer to the edge of the desk, then he pushed up her skirt and dipped a hand between her legs to check if she was ready, groaning at how wet she was. He had to have her, _now_. It was a relief when he could unbutton his pants and draw himself out, and he pushed inside her with one, deep thrust, which made her gasp loudly and clutch at the edges of the desk. He took hold of her hips and started taking her hard. She looked so sexy sprawled below him on the desk, her hair fanning out around her head, her chest flushed, her lips parted, and he kept his eyes on her face as he pushed into her again and again. She felt so good around him – too good – he couldn't stand it – he didn't want it to be over yet. Just in time, he drew back and stood for a moment, leaning on the desk, panting, waiting for the feeling to recede. She opened her eyes and started to sit up, but he stopped her with a look.

"Stay down", he said. "I want to look at you."

Her eyes were shining as she lay back down. "Alright. Whatever you say, Professor."

When he felt that he'd re-established his grip on himself, he entered her again, setting a slower pace this time, but taking her deeply with every thrust. She closed her eyes, moaned, and lifted her knees to take him in even deeper. He reveled in the feeling as he disappeared inside her again and again, gradually picking up the pace again as the tension inside him built until it was almost unbearable. Then she started moaning his name and he lost all restraint. He pressed into her a few more times, hard, as wave after wave of pleasure swept through him, making him gasp and shake. Finally, he stopped, leaning heavily on the desk, completely out of breath.

"Oh", he heard her sigh. "Oh, that was _so_ _good_."

She sat up and kissed him, running her fingers through his hair. "I like this side of you."

He suddenly felt a little alarmed at his own behavior. "Not… not too rough?"

"Not at all", she smiled. "I loved it."

He buttoned up his pants again and she patted the wood of the desk, still smiling.

"You know, the last time I was on this desk was in very different circumstances. Do you remember that anatomy lesson?"

"Vividly. Do you still know where the different arteries are?"

"You know", she said, her eyes sparkling. "I'm not sure I do. Maybe you should remind me."

He immediately felt his confidence return. "Get up."

She hopped off the desk and he came to stand behind her, brushing his lips over her bare shoulder as he slowly unzipped her dress, then slipped the straps off her shoulders so it pooled at her feet. He quickly unhooked her bra and took that off, too.

"Now lie back down."

She did as he asked, her eyes shining, and he bit his lip as he looked down at her. Having her completely naked in this room, on his desk, felt thrilling and just wrong enough to make it incredibly hot. He wished he could take her all over again, but it was much too soon, so he merely let his eyes roam over her until she was trembling with anticipation. Then he placed his fingers on the side of her neck and slowly traced a line downwards, making her shiver.

"External jugular", he murmured, then delicately ran his fingers down her throat. "Internal jugular."

He traced her collarbones. "Subclavian."

Then he let his fingers drift down her chest, to draw a line between her breasts, making her nipples harden again. "Pulmonary artery."

He remembered how uncomfortable this had made him the last time he did it, and marveled at how at ease he now felt with her body. Last time, he had used a marker and had wondered the entire time how her skin would feel under his hands, so now he derived extra enjoyment from being able to touch her. She was softer than he could ever have imagined back then.

By the time his fingers reached her stomach, she was covered in goosebumps, even though the room was very warm.

"Gastric artery. Renal arteries, left and right."

His fingers were now at the bottom of her stomach. "Iliac artery."

He moved down to stand between her legs. "You know, there's one artery I didn't show you last time."

"Which one is that?" she smiled.

He got down on his knees and pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh.

"The femoral artery. It runs from the knee all the way up…" he moved his lips along the sensitive skin of her thigh, and she sighed and opened her legs a little wider to allow him better access. He pressed his mouth against her, focusing immediately on her most sensitive spot, and she gasped as his tongue found it. He wasn't playing around – he wanted to hear her moan. By now, he had a sense of what she liked and where, so he struck up a steady rhythm, knowing he was on the right track when she tilted her hips to increase the pressure. To his delight, a soft 'oh!' was escaping from her lips with every breath, so he kept going. It didn't take long at all before her breathing quickened, and he picked up the pace a little until she suddenly tensed and arched her back, gasping, then she moaned as the delicious sensation rushed through her, making her tremble and shake. He kept going until she pushed against his head, then he eased off gradually and stopped.

He got up, wincing a little at the pain in his knees, but it was totally worth it to see her like this: her eyes closed, her hair tousled, her face flushed, breathing fast. He sat down next to her on the edge of the desk and stroked her stomach while she recovered. Finally she opened her eyes and sat up to kiss him with a satisfied expression.

"That was an interesting learning experience", she smiled.

"Will you remember the arteries now?"

"I don't know", she whispered. "I'm afraid I'm a slow learner. You may have to show me a few more times."

He grinned. "With pleasure."

She got dressed again and they decided they might as well negotiate for a while, since it was still early in the afternoon. She twisted her hair up and stuck a pencil through it, and they started running through every different 'what if' scenario they could envision for the heist, going through each of the scenarios multiple times with slightly different wording. It went well until they reached a scenario in which one of their team got wounded and he had to bargain for a doctor. He frowned.

"You're not giving the answers you should be giving."

"Yes I am."

"No", he said, pulling out the standard police negotiator script that he'd memorized back to front. "Look, section 17.8 says…"

"What version are you using?" she interrupted him.

He checked. "Version 6a."

"They updated section 17.8 only a few months ago", she informed him. "Right before I was fired."

He cursed. "I thought I had the most recent version. Was anything else changed?"

"No, just that section. I remember most of it, I'll write down the changes for you."

"Thank you", he said, and they moved on to a different scenario.

Before they knew it, two hours had passed and they decided to take a break, so she pulled the pencil out of her hair and it cascaded back down over her shoulders. As she went down to get them some water, he let his mind drift back to the morning's class, and the texts she'd sent him. When she came back, he had a question for her.

"So you think I'm sexy when I teach?"

"Yes", she smiled. "Very."

"Why?"

"You're confident, you're knowledgeable, you're in control of the situation. Don't you think teachers are sexy?"

"I'm not sure", he frowned.

"Didn't you ever have a crush on a teacher when you were young?"

"I never really had the chance", he said. "I was in hospital so often, I missed a lot of school."

"Well, take it from me, then", she said. "Teachers can be very hot."

He considered this for a moment, then smiled. "Show me."

"What?"

"Show me. Teach me something."

She grinned. "Like what?"

"How about section 17.8?"

"Okay", she said, getting up.

He got up too, and she pushed him down behind one of the desks. He smiled broadly as she twisted her hair back up and stuck the pencil through it again. Then she turned to him with a business-like expression on her face.

"Now", she said firmly. "Section 17.8."

He nodded, watching her intently. As she started talking, he had to admit that it had an appeal. She was an engaging speaker, and she laid out the different points clearly and succinctly, which he appreciated. Then she started pointing out flaws in the structure, ways to exploit the system, impressing him once again with her perception and keen insights, sparking a warm glow of admiration in his chest. She was so amazing. He liked her so much. He lost track of what she was saying as he lost himself in appreciation of the intelligence in her dark eyes, the graceful movements of her hands as she talked, her quiet strength. She was incredible, and he couldn't believe his own luck that he'd found her. She had everything he could possibly want – she was smart, strong, kind and spirited, and on top of that she was beautiful – so beautiful.

He cast an admiring gaze over her, taking in the graceful lines of her back as she wrote on the blackboard, and the way she held herself, radiating competence and self-possession. She was right: this was almost unbearably sexy. He could watch her all day and never get tired of her. His eyes drifted to her cleavage, the curves of her hips, her bare legs… and he noticed that his body had recovered enough to start responding to her again.

She suddenly turned to him.

"So those are the first points. Do you see?"

"Yes", he said thoughtfully. "I think I see it now."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You weren't paying attention, were you?"

"On the contrary, I was paying _very _close attention."

She laughed as she came closer to him. "Not to the right things, though."

"Oh", he said, stretching out a hand to slide it over her hip, "to _all _the right things."

She pushed his hand away, amused. "I'm not done yet."

"Take pity on me", he murmured, taking her wrist and pulling her into his lap. "I can't focus anymore."

"I see", she said, her eyes sparkling. "Perhaps you would prefer a more… hands-on approach?"

"That does sound intriguing", he said, one hand sliding down her back, the other up her thigh. "How would that work?"

"I talk, but I will try harder to keep you engaged."

"How?"

She got up and took off her panties. He raised his eyebrows.

"You have my full attention."

"Good", she smiled.

She sat astride his lap and ran her hands through his hair.

"Change four to the script", she said, then proceeded to explain it as she trailed her fingers down his neck and over his shoulders, making him sigh. "Are you following me?"

"Yes", he assured her. "Completely. Go on."

As she continued talking, she ran her hands down his chest and stomach, then unbuttoned his pants. He groaned softly as she drew him out.

"Now the next point is very important", she said as she lifted her hips. "It may require some _deep _thought."

"I will give it my full consideration", he whispered, then gasped as she sank down on him. He closed his eyes at how good it felt, but he opened them again as she tapped his cheek.

"Are you still with me?" she teased him.

"Utterly", he said, his voice a little hoarse. "Please don't stop."

She kept talking as she starting moving her hips, and for a moment he was fully consumed by the sensations, unable to absorb even a single word she was saying, but then the first intensity of it passed and he was able to breathe again. He established a tight rein on himself, placed his hand on her back and pressed her closer to him so he could kiss her neck.

"What are you doing?" she asked sharply.

"Don't worry", he murmured against her skin, "I'm still listening. Do go on. Unless… I'm distracting you?"

"Not at all", she said with dignity, but as she continued her voice hitched a little as he kept kissing her neck.

Then he leaned back a little to create some space, and slipped a hand between them, searching among the fabric of her pulled-up skirt until he found the sensitive spot between her legs. She gasped as he started drawing circles around it with his thumb.

"Problem?" he asked her quietly.

"No", she said, breathing rather fast, her voice strained, but unwilling to admit defeat. "What you need to realize about point five is that… _oh_… no matter what you say… you… you're still… oh _god_…"

He smiled in satisfaction as she closed her eyes and moaned. "Anything else you want to teach me?"

"I think you've got it", she whispered, then her fingers gripped his shirt and she gasped as he bucked his hips to take her deeper. He was moving his thumb up and down now, and she was rendered speechless, her breathing fast and uneven, and the pencil dropped out of her hair so it fell to frame her face in the most lovely way. A minute later, she arched her back and threw her head back with a soft cry, shuddering through her release. After several long moments, she relaxed against him, panting, leaning her forehead against his shoulder as he gently stroked her back. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as she started moving again, and he finally allowed himself to get lost in the feeling. Her lips on his, his hand in her hair, her fingers stroking the back of his neck while she moved up and down on him, taking him in fully with every stroke, so warm and wonderful and _oh_. The sheer, bright joy of holding her close. Suddenly she stopped kissing him and bit his earlobe, and that sent him straight over the edge with a gasp. His arm tightened around her waist as the feeling shook him, and he whispered her name over and over and over again.

They held each other tight for several breathless minutes, then he took her face between his hands and kissed her.

"Well", he said, "You've certainly proven your point: teachers are very sexy."

"How did I do?" she smiled.

"Best class of my life", he said. "Hands down. I don't think I'll ever forget it."

"So I'm a good teacher?"

"You're an _excellent _teacher", he said, then he smiled and added: "_Profesora_."

She gave him a delighted grin. "Oh! I like the sound of that."

…

He was in such a good mood over dinner that he didn't even feel embarrassed when Nairobi winked at him knowingly. He just smiled at her and kept eating, his knee touching Raquel's under the table. Later, in bed, when she had fallen asleep with her head in the hollow of his shoulder and his arm around her, he lay looking up at the ceiling and processed the events of the day. He'd failed spectacularly at keeping to his morning resolution to keep his hands off her during the day, but he really couldn't care. The iron self-discipline that he'd cultivated so carefully throughout the years simply crumbled when she was near him – one after the other, she broke through all of his restraints, all of his self-imposed rules and restrictions. If he'd known beforehand that she would have that effect on him, it would have scared him so much that he'd never have recruited her. Yet now that it was happening, he couldn't regret it at all.

He kept waiting to feel guilty about canceling class that afternoon, but the feeling wasn't manifesting – not even a little bit. The truth was that he wasn't sorry at all. He would never be sorry about time he spent with her. He tightened his arm around her and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, thinking back on what he'd said to her, that she was an amazing teacher. It was true. She probably didn't realize it, but she was teaching him so much. She was opening his eyes to things he'd been blind to for so long, showing him new vistas, new points of view. Every day with her was a revelation. It might take him a long time to learn everything he needed to know, but he knew he would get it right in the end. Slowly but surely, he was learning what it meant to be close to another person instead of pushing them away, what it meant to truly connect. To care. To commit. To love. And like all the best teachers, she made it seem so easy.


	18. Trust

Over the next week, they settled into a new routine. Sergio managed to refocus on the preparations for the heist, pushing the team in classes each day so by the end of the week they were caught up on the material again. He and Raquel fell back into their old habit of discussing the plan more in-depth after every class, and during the evenings, she could often be found studying his notes. After having distracted him for a while, he now found that she stimulated him to really engage with the plan again, and talking over the details with her renewed his enthusiasm for the heist. Her knowledge of the plan was starting to rival his own, and it was a great source of comfort to him to know that she would be able to take over from him whenever he needed to leave the control room for a while. He no longer felt like he was leading this operation alone. They were a team now, she and him, and together they would be unstoppable.

They slept together every night, and Sergio still woke up every morning with a sense of wonder that she was in his arms. He loved their conversations before bed, loved that his sheets now smelled of her, loved her sleepy smiles in the morning. He especially loved making love to her, hot and urgent in the evenings after a long day of not touching each other, or slow and sweet in the mornings. His days were enlivened by her winks in class and her casual touches during mealtimes, and his nights were filled with kisses and warmth. Everything was so different now they were together – so much lovelier, so much brighter, so much better overall. There was a sharp distinction in his mind between Life Before Raquel and Life With Raquel, and these were entirely separate things. Thinking back on his life before her was like watching a black-and-white movie, whereas he now felt like he was surrounded by vivid color. Every time she touched him, he felt brilliantly, intensely alive.

One bright morning she turned to him while they were dressing.

"Someone needs to go grocery shopping today after class."

"Yes", he said. "You're right. I think it's the turn of the Serbians."

"I want to go."

"No", he protested, "we agreed from the start that you and Tokyo wouldn't leave the grounds, you're both fugitives."

"Sergio", she said in a pleading tone, "I have to get out of the house, I'm going mad."

"Someone might recognize you."

"I'll wear a hat and sunglasses."

"It's too dangerous, Raquel!"

"It's been months since my face was last on the news, I'm sure people won't recognize me anymore. _Please_."

He hesitated. "Alright, but don't go to the nearest village. If someone tips off the police that they saw you, they're less likely to trace you back here."

She perked up. "Excellent! I'm in the mood for a nice drive."

They had a productive day of classes, but Sergio remained nervous about letting her go out. Finally he walked her to the car and said:

"Let me come with you."

"You said you wanted to go over your notes for tomorrow's class."

"I can do that later tonight."

She smiled and raised a suggestive eyebrow. "I'd rather do other things later tonight."

He grinned. "That's a strong argument."

"You stay here and go over your notes. I'll be back in an hour."

She looked around, then gave him a quick kiss. He watched her drive away with an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

…

Two hours later, he came down from the classroom and walked outside to where the others were sitting gathered around the table.

"Isn't Lisbon back yet?"

They all shook their heads and continued talking. He frowned. He knew he'd told her not to go to the nearest village, but he didn't think she'd drive _that _far. He sat down next to his brother and tried to join in the conversation, but he couldn't focus, throwing looks down the driveway every few seconds. After half an hour, he decided to call her. It went straight to voicemail.

"What's wrong?" Berlin asked him.

"She turned off her phone", he said. "Why would she turn off her phone?"

"Maybe the button got pushed accidentally."

"Maybe", he said, shifting nervously in his chair.

"She'll be back soon", his brother soothed him. "Don't worry so much."

Moscow and Denver made dinner with the last of last week's groceries, but Sergio couldn't eat. He kept checking his watch. Now she'd been gone for three hours, now three and a half. Every ten minutes, he tried calling her, but the result was always the same. Finally, after she'd been gone for four hours, he couldn't stand it anymore. He got up and went into the house, and his brother followed him.

"Something happened to her", he said desperately once they were inside.

"You don't know that", Berlin said reasonably.

"What if she got caught?"

"That's very unlikely."

"But not impossible!"

He was pacing up and down, his heart beating frantically. In his mind's eye, he saw her in handcuffs, behind bars.

"I need to get to the police station in Toledo. That's where they'd take her."

"How are you going to get there?" his brother frowned. "She took our only car."

He felt himself spiral into panic. He needed to find her, he needed to help her. "Oh god, Andrés, why did I let her go? She was safe here, why did I let her put herself at risk?"

"You said she wanted to go out."

"But I could have stopped her! I could have said no!"

"Sergio, calm down. Remember last time when she didn't return from her walk?"

"Yes."

"You were so worried, and in the end it turned out that she just sprained her ankle. I'm sure this is something similar. Maybe she decided to go into town to do some shopping."

"But why hasn't she called me, Andrés? Why is her phone turned off?"

Before his brother could answer, Tokyo came in, followed by the others.

"Professor, where is Lisbon?"

He took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"You know where she is", he said evasively. "Grocery shopping."

"For four hours?" Tokyo said suspiciously.

"I told her not to go to the nearest village."

"Still", Nairobi said. "She should be back by now. She missed dinner, and she knows at what time that is."

"Have you tried calling her?" Moscow asked.

"Yes", Sergio said, trying not to let his worry show. "Her phone goes straight to voicemail."

The others exchanged looks.

"I thought we'd agreed that Tokyo and Lisbon wouldn't do the shopping?" Moscow said. "Why did you let her go?"

"She really wanted to get out of the house", Sergio explained.

"And why do you think that is?" Helsinki asked.

Sergio frowned. "Are you going somewhere with this?"

"Well…" Rio said. "It's just… this is the first time she's been off the grounds on her own, and she hasn't come back…"

"What are you implying?"

"Oh for god's sake!" Tokyo interrupted. "Isn't it obvious? She's jumped ship, Professor! She's gone to rat us out to her police pals!"

"We don't know that", Nairobi interjected. "I told you all you aren't being fair to her."

Sergio was staring at Tokyo. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Tokyo said. "Then why isn't she back yet? Why isn't she answering her phone?"

He shook his head. "No, Tokyo, that doesn't make sense. Why would she betray us _now_, after all these months? If she was going to betray us, she would have done it long ago, after learning what we were planning to do. She could easily have stolen the car and driven off at night. Why stay for all of these months if she was planning to double-cross us from the start?"

"Maybe she wasn't planning it from the start", Rio said quietly. "Maybe she's lost faith in the plan."

"The plan is beyond question", Berlin said firmly.

"Then maybe she stayed to gather more information", Denver said.

"Yes!" Tokyo agreed. "Delivering the full plan to the police might reduce her sentence more than if she just told them the general idea of what we were planning."

"It still doesn't make any sense", Sergio said stubbornly. "Why _now_?"

"Did anything particular happen over the last few days?" Moscow asked.

"Yes", Tokyo said. "Did you reveal any crucial information to her in one of your cozy discussion sessions after class? Did you give her any notes about an essential part of the plan?"

Sergio felt himself go pale as his mind went back to the conversation they had had in his room only last night.

"_I've been wondering", Raquel said, lying on her stomach on his bed, studying his notes. "Where is everyone going after the heist?"_

"_I've arranged for them to go to different locations across the world."_

"_I know, but where?"_

"_Indonesia, Argentina, the Philippines, countries like that."_

_She nodded, and he considered her for a moment, then walked over to the spare bed and kneeled down to pull a small safe from underneath it. _

"_What's in there?" she asked._

"_Information", he said. "A file on each of you, containing your real names and your fake passports, and detailed instructions on where to go and what to do after the heist."_

_He hesitated for a moment, then said: "The code is 5-3-8-7."_

_She looked up, startled. "You're giving me the code?"_

"_Yes. Just in case. If something happens to me, I want you to make sure that everybody gets their file, so they can get to safety."_

_She nodded solemnly. "I'll take care of it. Repeat the code to me?"_

"_5-3-8-7."_

_She repeated it a few times. "I think I've got it."_

"_I'm going to take a shower", he said. "And then let's go to bed."_

"_Sergio", she said as he was almost at the door. "I just realized… I don't know your last name."_

_He turned around and smiled. "You're right. It's Marquina. Sergio Marquina."_

He felt a little dizzy. He'd left her alone with the safe right after that. She could easily have opened it and read the files. She could easily have taken them, even. All of their names and their escape plans, presented neatly to the police… wouldn't that make for a nice bargaining chip to reduce her sentence? It might even be enough to dismiss her charges altogether, especially if her information led to them being captured. She could walk away from this a free woman.

The others were all staring at him.

"_Well_?!" Tokyo prompted him. "Did you give her any sensitive information?"

He pulled himself together. "It doesn't matter. I have a good reason to trust her."

"What is it?" Denver asked.

"I… I can't tell you that."

"You expect us to just take your word for it that she's trustworthy?" Tokyo scoffed.

His brother put a hand on his shoulder. "I think it's time to tell them."

"Tell us what?" Tokyo asked suspiciously.

He frowned at his brother. "Really?"

Berlin nodded. "It's the reason you trust her. They deserve to know."

He looked at Nairobi, who nodded. "Yes, tell them Professor."

"Tell us _what_?" Tokyo insisted.

Sergio took a deep breath. "Lisbon and I… are in a relationship."

A stunned silence fell. Everybody stared at him.

"I trust her completely", he said quietly.

"I thought there weren't supposed to be any personal relationships within the team", Moscow said sharply.

"I know", Sergio nodded. "This wasn't supposed to happen, but it did."

"How long?" Helsinki asked.

"We've been together for two weeks", Sergio said.

"And that's why you trust her?" Rio said.

"Yes."

They all looked at him in disbelief.

"What?" he said defensively.

"Jesus, Professor!" Tokyo burst out. "We were under the impression that you were a smart guy, but apparently we were wrong!"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been sleeping with her?" Tokyo asked.

"That's none of your business", he said coldly.

"Actually, it is", Rio said.

"Why?"

"Are you an _idiot_?" Tokyo yelled at him. "She's been trying to get close to you from the start! Obviously she's been sleeping with you to get information out of you!"

Sergio felt like she'd hit him across the face. His mind was reeling.

"No", he whispered. "No."

"_Did you give her any_?" Tokyo demanded. "Did you give her any sensitive information?"

He swallowed hard. "Yes."

"When?"

"Yesterday."

"Oh, fuck you, Professor!" Tokyo shouted. "And now she's _gone_? She played you!"

He looked around. "Do you all believe that?"

Moscow averted his eyes. Rio and Denver shook their heads at him. The Serbians scowled. He shot a pleading look at his brother, who hesitated, then shrugged. Nairobi, however, stepped forward.

"Don't believe them, Profe! I've seen the way she looks at you, even when you're not looking. I don't believe she left to betray us."

"Are you willing to bet your life on that?" Tokyo snapped. "If she's gone to the police, they could be on our doorstep any minute! I say we don't risk it – let's pack up and get the hell out of here before the cops show up!"

They all started talking at once. Some of them agreed with Tokyo, others argued that they should wait another hour. Nairobi staunchly kept defending Raquel. Sergio didn't say anything. He felt numb. _She's been trying to get close to you from the start_. He remembered her coming over to talk to him during break times, sitting down next to him for every meal. _She played you! _Had it all been a lie? Every smile, every touch, every kiss? Had she not meant any of it? _I just realized that I don't know your last name. _Had he been blinded by his feelings for her? Had she recognized those feelings and exploited them? _5-3-8-7. _No, he told himself. _No_, this was real. He _knew_ her. He trusted her. She wouldn't leave him, wouldn't betray him. She wouldn't. She wouldn't… Would she?

Before he could make up his mind, the front door opened and Raquel walked in, exhausted. She looked at them in surprise.

"What's going on?"

Tokyo walked right up to her. "Are you alone?"

"What?" she said, confused. "Of course I'm alone."

"Then where the _fuck _have you been?"

"The stupid car broke down", she said defensively. "I was only halfway back from the village, I had to walk for miles."

"Why didn't you call us?" Nairobi asked.

"My phone battery died. I use that phone so rarely that I always forget to charge it."

Sergio felt dizzy with relief at the sight of her. She was back. She was back, she was here, she hadn't left him. He wanted to cry. She hadn't left him.

Raquel was still looking confused. "Where did you _think _I was?"

Sergio realized with a stab of panic that they couldn't let her know. He opened his mouth to intervene, but of course Tokyo wasn't kind enough to keep her mouth shut.

"We thought you'd gone to rat us out to the cops", she said acidly.

"_What_?" Raquel shouted. "What the _fuck_? After all these months?"

She turned to Sergio. "Can you _believe _this?"

By now he was feeling horribly, horribly guilty for not trusting her, even for a moment. He felt himself turn red and he knew his guilt was clearly visible on his face.

She looked at him and he saw the comprehension dawn in her eyes.

"You did", she whispered, stunned. "You believed her."

"I… no… not really…", he tried weakly, but he realized he was only making it worse.

She looked as if he'd slapped her. Then she turned and strode right past him to the stairs and up to her room. He watched her go, paralyzed, until Nairobi came up to him and punched him hard on the arm.

"Go after her!" she snapped. "Go apologize to her right now!"

As he hurried up the stairs, he heard Nairobi say to the others:

"Alright, let's all go outside, people."

He caught up with her at the door to her room.

"Raquel!" he said. "Wait!"

She turned around, and he backed away quickly at the fury on her face.

"_What_?" she snapped. "What could you possibly want to say to me?"

"I'm sorry", he said quietly.

"You're _sorry_?" she shouted. "You thought that I was a traitor but you're _sorry_?"

"I didn't really think that!" he tried to defend himself. "It was just… Tokyo said…"

"So you're believing _Tokyo _over me?"

"No! Of course not!"

He could see that she was truly upset.

"I can't _believe _you thought I'd betrayed you, Sergio! Didn't the last two weeks mean anything to you?"

"They meant everything to me!" he said desperately. "Don't you see?"

"No, I don't! Why would I tell you that I was in love with you if I was planning to betray you all along? Why would I have kissed you? Why would I have slept with you?"

He felt himself turn red again as he gave her another guilty look. Her expression turned to horror.

"Tell me you didn't think that", she whispered.

"I'm so sorry", he breathed, crushed. "Please try to understand. Don't you see what it looked like? I'd given you the code to the safe only yesterday and now you were gone…"

He thought she'd been angry before, but it was nothing to how she was looking at him now.

"You thought I'd slept with you _for information_?" she yelled. "_That's _what you think of me? That I'm a fucking _whore_?"

"No!" he said. "Of course not! But Tokyo implied that I'd been blinded by my feelings for you and for just one moment I thought… maybe she was right. It was just one moment, Raquel, I swear!"

"Well _fuck you _for thinking it, even for a moment!"

And she slammed the door in his face.

…

He was sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands when Nairobi found him.

"I fucked up, Nairobi", he whispered hoarsely.

"Yes", she said succinctly. "You did. Why did you doubt her, Profe? If _I _know how she feels about you, how come you didn't?"

"Tokyo made some strong arguments", he muttered.

"You know that shouldn't have swayed you. What was the real reason?"

He looked up at her. "I'm terrible at reading people, Nairobi. And I'm a firm believer that emotions cloud one's judgement. So it isn't at all unlikely that someone could get close to me just to get information without me seeing it."

"But _I _would have seen it", she said firmly. "If you didn't trust your own judgment, Profe, you should have trusted mine."

"I know", he said softly. "But it all went so fast, and I was so worried. I wasn't thinking straight."

"That much is clear", she said drily.

"She'll never forgive me for this", he said with quiet desperation. "I can't believe I'm going to lose her over something like this."

"You're not going to lose her."

"It feels like I already have."

"Don't be so dramatic. Go apologize to her again."

"I kept knocking on her door for twenty minutes. She doesn't want to talk to me."

"That was an hour ago. By now she's had a chance to calm down."

He shuddered. "She was so angry."

"And she had every right to be – her boyfriend is a jackass. But she won't stay mad forever."

He looked up hopefully. "Do you think so?"

"I do. Now go bring her some food and something to drink. The poor thing hasn't eaten yet."

She filled a plate with the leftovers from dinner and pushed it into his hands with a glass of water. Then she turned him by the shoulders and pushed him towards the door.

He slowly went up the stairs and knocked at her door.

"Go away", she said from inside, but he heard that the fight had gone out of her voice.

"Please let me talk to you, Raquel", he said quietly to the door. "Please."

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"But I have things to say to you."

Silence. He tried a different tack.

"I brought food."

Silence for another few moments, then she said:

"What kind of food?"

"Salad, and bread and cheese."

The door opened. He quickly held out the plate to her, and she took it without looking at him, then walked over to her desk and started eating hungrily. She left the door open.

"Can I… can I come in?"

She shrugged, and he took that as a yes. He walked in and closed the door behind himself, then stood awkwardly in the middle of the room as she ate. He noticed with a stab of guilt that she'd been crying.

She finished all the food on her plate and drank down the entire glass of water. Then she turned to him.

"Have I been a fool these past weeks?" she asked him quietly. "Have I misjudged the situation? Because I thought we were experiencing the same thing, but you never would have suspected me of such awful things if you felt what I feel."

"But I do feel it, Raquel. I do."

There were tears in her eyes. "Then how could you, Sergio? How _could _you?"

"I'm so sorry", he whispered. He felt so guilty it was suffocating him.

The tears were spilling down her cheeks now. "Don't you know how much you mean to me? I could never betray you!"

He felt close to crying, too. "It's just so hard to believe, Raquel! When I really think about it, it seems too good to be true, you and me. For a moment I thought that it was. I shouldn't have doubted you, not even for a second! It was just… just my own insecurities talking."

He swallowed hard before he could continue. "You've brought so much joy into my life, Raquel. It baffled me. I never thought I was destined for… for this kind of happiness. So when it looked like it would all go away again, like it had all been a lie – well, for one dark, desperate moment, that seemed like the much more believable option. I never really doubted you – not _really_! I doubted _myself_."

His throat was painfully tight now. "Please, _please_ forgive me for being the world's biggest fool. I would trust you with my life. I think I believed Tokyo so readily because it looked like my biggest fear was coming true: that you would leave me. That idea terrifies me. I'm not used to being so dependent on another person, and I don't know how to deal with it. You… you know you are my first love."

She looked up sharply. "You love me?"

He gave her a confused look. "Of course I do."

"You never said it."

"I thought you knew. How could I live with you for four months and not love you? Honestly, how _anyone _could live with you and not love you is beyond my comprehension."

She gave him a soft look, then said quietly: "I love you too."

A hot, bright fire kindled in his chest at her words. The next moment, though, she shot him a pained look.

"But that's why this hurts so much. That you thought that I'd been lying to you all this time, that I'd betray you."

"I know", he said quietly. "I let Tokyo get inside my head, and there's no excuse for that."

A single tear was sliding down her cheek. "You don't know how much you mean to me, Sergio. I was so lost, and then you found me. You're my anchor, the one thing that keeps me steady in the storm that my life has become. If you lose faith in me…"

His heart was breaking. How could he have doubted her?

"I won't", he whispered. "I swear on my life that I'll never doubt you again, Raquel. Never, never again."

He tentatively opened his arms, and to his immense relief, she walked into them and hugged him.

"Do you really love me?" she whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her, held her tight, and simply said: "I do. I really do."

They stood there for a long time, just holding each other, and he felt overcome by emotions. He was so relieved that she'd forgiven him, painfully aware of the fact that she could have chosen to break up with him instead and there would have been nothing he could do about that. He imagined it for a moment: not being able to talk to her anymore, no more laughter, no more hugs like this. What would it have been like to see her every day without being able to hold her? Sleeping without her. Living without her. It seemed like a physical impossibility. Instead, she told him that she loved him, and he felt an all-consuming gratitude and tenderness.

After a while, she lifted her face up to him and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Kissing her when he had thought that he might never kiss her again was an inexpressible joy to him. He deepened the kiss hungrily and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back with equal enthusiasm. He felt an overwhelming need to touch her, and his hands were in her hair, on her back, in the back pockets of her jeans, as she pressed herself close to him and kissed him until he was breathless. Suddenly, just holding her wasn't enough anymore – he wanted to be closer to her, as close as possible, and the way she looked at him told him she was thinking the same thing.

He started undressing her, desperate to feel her skin against his, to feel it against his lips, to run his hands over her body and convince himself that she was still here, she was still his. She seemed just as eager, pushing his jacket off his shoulders, unbuttoning his shirt with nimble fingers. Soon their clothes were off and they fell onto the bed together, naked, tangled. He ran his fingers over her skin in tender worship of her body, pressing kisses to her shoulders, her chest, her stomach. How familiar she had become to him in just a few weeks, how intimately he knew her. And oh, how he loved every part of her. His mouth sought out his favorite spots: the elegant curve of her neck, the delicate skin of her wrists, the infinite softness of her breasts. She gasped as he closed his lips over a nipple and sucked, tangling her fingers into his hair to keep him there for a while.

He had never known how much satisfaction it could bring him to be the cause of someone else's pleasure, but now he would gladly dedicate his life to pleasing her. He wanted nothing more than to take her to a deserted island and spend entire days and nights kissing her, caressing her, making love to her. When this heist was over, he promised himself, he would do just that. For now, he moved down and settled himself between her legs to press kisses to the soft inside of her thighs. She sighed happily and opened herself to him, and he slowly inched his way upwards, drawing out the thrill of anticipation until she was trembling. Finally he pressed his mouth to her and she immediately tilted her hips with a soft moan. He started exploring her thoroughly, running his tongue up and down, enjoying the taste of her, delighted to hear her sigh. When he settled on the right spot, she gripped the sheets and started uttering soft little _oh's _that drove him to distraction, and he kept up a steady rhythm in the way he knew worked best for her. Soon she was arching her back, her breathing fast and uneven. He picked up the pace just a little and it was enough – she gasped, tensed, then gave a soft cry as the feeling rushed through her, making her shake and call out his name.

He eased off gradually, making her shiver with the aftershocks, then he returned to kissing her thighs, more than ready to go again after she recovered. She reached down, however, and gently tugged at his hair.

"Come up", she whispered. "I want you close to me."

He obeyed her willingly, his desire for her surging immediately to the point where it became nearly unbearable. He carefully covered her body with his and looked into her eyes.

"Raquel", he murmured, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know what I've done to deserve you."

She reached up a hand and pulled his head down to kiss him tenderly. He guided himself to her and entered her, the sensation of it exquisite – so warm, so soft. She sighed against his lips as he filled her completely, then he stopped and they remained like that for several long, blissful moments, holding each other tight, connecting, as close to oneness as they could get. When he finally started moving inside of her, he kept his body against hers, skin against skin, and she wrapped her legs around him to pull him in even deeper. He never wanted it to end, this closeness, this connection, this total intimacy with her. The way she was moving her hips, however, combined with her soft moans, were quickly driving him beyond endurance. Her fingers were stroking the back of his neck, sending the most delicious shivers down his spine, and he closed his eyes tight and groaned as the wave inside of him reached a peak and then crashed over him, flooding his brain and all of his senses and the entire world was reduced to this place, this feeling, this moment with her.

She held him close and stroked his hair as he recovered and caught his breath. After a while, he worried that he might be getting too heavy and he tried to roll away, but she made a plaintive sound and kept him on top of her.

"Don't go yet", she murmured. "I like to feel your weight on me."

So he stayed where he was, in her arms, as he kissed her and kissed her and kissed her.

Finally, regretfully, she let him go and he fell onto his back so she could settle her head in the hollow of his shoulder, her arm draped across his chest. They dozed for a moment, content just to be together. Then she looked up at him.

"Say it again", she whispered.

He smiled. "I love you."

She kissed him, then drew back and gave him a careful look.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I haven't brought this up before because I didn't want to freak you out, but… what happens after the heist?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said everybody's going to different countries. What about us? Do you want me to come with you? I… I would bring my daughter and I don't know if you want that. You don't have to answer me right now", she said hastily. "I know you probably haven't thought about it yet."

He got up. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"I want to show you something."

They got dressed and he took her to his room, where she sat down on his bed as he kneeled down next to the spare bed.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He pulled the safe from underneath the bed and entered the code. Then he took out a folder and handed it to her.

"What's this?"

"My own file. Open it."

She did so, and pulled out three passports. The first was his. The second, hers. The third was for her daughter. She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Of course you're coming with me, Raquel. I never even considered anything else. I can't believe you thought I wouldn't want that."

"When did you merge our files?"

"Two weeks ago, the very second we got together. I was yours completely from the start."

She gave him a radiant smile. "So where are we going?"

"The Philippines. Palawan, more specifically."

He reached into the file and pulled out a postcard to show her.

"What do you think? Is that okay with you?"

She took the postcard from him and looked at it with shining eyes.

"Oh, it looks wonderful."

He sat down next to her and took her hand. "After this is all over, I want nothing more than to start a life with you. If… if you want that too, of course."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed him down onto the bed, kissing him fiercely.

"Is that a yes?" he laughed.

"Yes", she smiled. "Yes, of course."

They kissed again, then he settled himself on his back and she cuddled up to him. They were silent for a while, just enjoying each other's company, and he stroked her shoulder as he became lost in thought. Finally he said:

"Raquel… when you didn't return today, I thought something terrible had happened to you. I'm so glad you're safe."

"I was never in any danger."

"I thought for a while that they'd caught you. I'm not sure I'd be able to rescue you a second time. I was afraid I'd lost you."

She stroked his chest. "But I'm still here."

His eyes had a faraway look. "It was such an awful feeling. I was beside myself when I thought I might never see you again." He turned to her with an earnest expression. "I realized something today. I can't live without you."

"What are you talking about?" she said with a gentle smile. "You lived for forty years without me."

"I wasn't living", he whispered. "I existed."

She gave him the softest look, then put her hand against his cheek and kissed him. He kissed her back for several long minutes, then the thought of losing her became too much for him and he tightened his arms around her until she gasped, then laughed.

"I can't breathe like this! Let me go!"

He loosened his grip, but he kept his arms around her as he pressed a tender kiss to her lips.

"Oh Raquel", he said quietly. "I'm never letting you go again."


	19. Reflect

He didn't want to get up the next morning – he wanted to spend the entire day in bed with her. After the emotional turmoil of yesterday, he wanted nothing more today than to kiss her, to hold her close, to be reassured and comforted by her solid warmth in his arms. She seemed to feel the same way, because she clung to him tightly, cuddling close and burying her face against his chest. He was so grateful that she reflected the way he was feeling, because he didn't think he'd be able to stand it if she made light of what happened, if she hadn't matched his own intense longing to stay close. He didn't want to start the day, didn't want to face the scrutiny of the others yet. How would they react to seeing them together? So far, this had been something that belonged to just the two of them, but now they would have to share it with the outside world, and he worried that it would change things. So they stayed wrapped up in each other for as long as they could, until the alarm on his phone mercilessly reminded them of reality. She pushed the button on the phone, sighed regretfully, pushed back the blanket and moved to get out of bed. He immediately pulled her back, however, and she laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled the blanket over them again.

"We have to get up, Sergio."

"No, we don't."

"It's almost time for breakfast."

"Who cares about breakfast? All I want is you."

"We still have classes afterwards."

"I'm the teacher. Maybe I'll decide we won't have class today."

She smiled at him. "Then what will we do all day?"

"This", he whispered, then started pressing soft kisses to her neck.

She hummed in contentment, and for a moment he could feel her melt against him and he thought she might relent. But the next instant she shook herself and laughingly pushed against his head.

"Stop it! What will everyone think if you cancel classes?"

"I don't care", he murmured against her skin. "There are more important things in life than what other people think. Like… this spot, right here…" He kissed her right behind her ear. "This spot is extremely important to me right now. I never noticed how soft you are there. Now I wonder if there are any other spots I've missed." He ducked down and she laughed in delight as he started kissing her all over. "I think this calls for a very, _very _thorough investigation."

"Mmm", she said, stretching luxuriously, "that does sound nice…"

"Then stay in bed with me."

"But I want to shower", she argued.

He shook his head. "Showers, breakfast, classes… why are you concerned with such trivialities?"

"Because I like to be clean, and fed, and informed about the _massive heist _we're planning."

She quickly tried to slip out of bed, but he caught her around her waist and pulled her back again.

"You won't escape so easily."

She was putting up a very half-hearted struggle, her eyes full of laughter. "I can't be the only adult in this room, Sergio! Pull yourself together!"

He tightened his arms around her and looked down at her. "What if I just refuse to let you go?"

She surrendered and smiled up at him. "Well, then I suppose I have no choice but to stay in bed with you all day."

"Now we're talking", he rumbled, leaning down to kiss her. Then he sighed. "I suppose we really should get up, though."

"Yes", she nodded. "I'm afraid we should."

He let her go, but followed her with his eyes as she rolled out of bed and started dressing.

"Alright, I'm going to take a shower", she said. "Will you check to see if the hallway is clear?"

"Oh", he said. "We don't have to do that anymore. They know about us."

She looked up, startled. "You told them?"

"Yes, yesterday, when we were talking about why you hadn't come back. I was trying to show them that I had a good reason to trust you."

"Oh", she said. "How did they react?"

He grimaced. "Well, as you know, Tokyo immediately suggested that maybe you were only sleeping with me for information, so not great. They'll get used to it in time, though."

"Well, I have to say I'm glad it's out now. I was getting rather tired of hiding all the time."

"Yes", he agreed. "Me too."

She suddenly smiled at him. "So… now that we don't have to keep things secret anymore… do you want to shower with me?"

He was up and dressing in a flash, and she laughed.

"I thought you didn't want to get out of bed?"

"Looks like it was just a question of finding the right motivation."

Raquel, naked and wet in his arms? He'd get out of bed for that anytime.

Oslo had been waiting in front of the bathroom for a solid twenty minutes now. When he'd knocked on the door, he had been momentarily surprised when two voices answered the knock at the same time, but then he remembered what the Professor had told them yesterday and he smiled – apparently they'd made up. Twenty minutes later, however, he wasn't smiling anymore. It was almost time for breakfast and he wanted to shower, too, but there was still a sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Nairobi passed him on her way downstairs and noticed his scowl.

"What's the matter, Oslo?"

"Bathroom's occupied."

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Twenty minutes."

"Who's in there?"

Oslo shifted uncomfortably. "The Professor."

Nairobi frowned. "He doesn't usually take this long to get ready in the mornings."

"Don't think he's alone."

Comprehension dawned on Nairobi's face. "Oh!" Then she grinned. "Have you tried knocking again?"

He shook his head.

"You're much too polite, Oslo", she said, then she started banging on the door with the flat of her hand. "Hey, you two! Get out!"

They heard Lisbon laugh, then say: "Go away!"

"Look", Nairobi shouted through the door. "I'm very happy for the two of you, but you can't go hogging the bathroom! Other people need it too!"

"Alright, give us a minute", came Lisbon's answer from inside.

Nairobi grinned broadly. "No sex in shared spaces! That's not polite. You both have a bedroom, so use it!"

Oslo felt rather embarrassed, but Nairobi's tactic seemed to work: the water was finally turned off and there were sounds of movement from inside. A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened and Lisbon and the Professor came out, both damp and flushed, Lisbon smiling broadly and winking at them in passing, while the Professor avoided eye contact, red in the face.

"We're sorry", he apologized in passing.

"No, you're not", Nairobi laughed.

He looked up and suddenly a grin appeared on his face. "Okay, maybe we're not. But it won't happen again."

They disappeared down the hall, and Nairobi patted Oslo on the shoulder.

"There you go."

"Thanks", he muttered, looking in the direction the couple had gone in. The Professor had always seemed like such a dignified person. He shook his head. This only confirmed what he already knew – love could make a fool out of any man.

Rio was sitting at the breakfast table, spreading butter and jam on his toast, when the Professor and Lisbon came in together and sat down opposite him, smiling and talking softly. Right, he reminded himself. That was a thing now. He couldn't help but notice how close they sat together, how they looked at each other, how she casually put her hand on his arm, and he suddenly felt hopeful. Would this mean that relationships were allowed now? He shot a surreptitious look at Tokyo on the other side of the table, wondering if she'd agree to talk to the Professor about the two of them. After all, it had been the Professor who had made the rule about not having personal relationships between the members of the team, and he really had no right to judge _anyone _on that anymore.

Oslo came in, making the group complete, and Nairobi shot a significant look around the table before clearing her throat. Rio knew what was coming – they had discussed this last night.

"Lisbon?"

Lisbon looked up, clearly only now becoming aware that there were other people at the table.

Nairobi continued. "These idiots would like to say something to you."

She nodded at Rio, who had volunteered to do this – he didn't mind apologizing if he'd been wrong, and he'd been wrong about Lisbon. He shot her an apologetic look.

"We're sorry we thought you were a traitor."

"Yes", Denver said. "We really are."

"We want you to know that we trust you", Moscow supplied.

They all murmured their agreement, except for Tokyo, of course, who crossed her arms with a sullen expression.

Lisbon hesitated, then said: "Look, I understand. Your natural instinct is to distrust me. I get that. But I'm not a cop anymore, and I never will be again. I've accepted that, and it would be nice if you could, too."

They all nodded, and she nodded too.

"Well, then, let's forget this happened."

Rio was glad she was taking it so well. He didn't like the thought that they'd hurt her. Everyone returned to their breakfast, and Rio's eyes were drawn to Tokyo again. He would love to sit next to her, stop pretending, stop hiding. She was such an awesome woman – a real powerhouse, so passionate, and a knock-out too – he was so proud that she was his, and he couldn't wait to tell everyone. Yes, he decided. They should talk to the Professor as soon as possible.

Tokyo hurried up the stairs to the classroom. She was late – class should have started five minutes ago and the Professor was very strict about that. She expected a stern look from him when she walked in, but he was otherwise occupied: Lisbon was leaning against his desk and he was standing close to her, talking softly, smiling. Tokyo went to her usual seat and sat down. The others were talking among themselves, not paying the couple at the front of the room any attention, but Tokyo couldn't help but glance at them. They looked disgustingly happy. Not that she cared, of course – she just hoped that Rio wasn't getting any ideas now. Half the fun of her relationship with Rio was that it wasn't allowed – the thrill of keeping a secret, the constant risk of discovery. But now that the Professor was openly dating Lisbon, he might be okay with other relationships within the team. How boring.

She couldn't understand how the Professor could sleep with a cop – even an ex-cop. Cops were pigs, garbage, robots who chose to surrender their humanity in order to mindlessly obey a faceless authority. They shot and killed people – good people. Tokyo felt the old anger and hurt inside her well up again, and she didn't try to stop it. It was good to stay angry. The others might have accepted Lisbon, but she would never trust her, never forget for a moment where she came from. Cop. Traitor. Tokyo didn't feel guilty about voicing her distrust of Lisbon when she hadn't returned yesterday. It was better to be careful. A woman who turned on her former companions could easily turn again. The Professor might think that they had something special, but the Professor was naïve and easily flustered by women – in fact, Tokyo herself had had a lot of fun flustering him on several occasions. But it wasn't so much fun now that their lives and their freedom depended on his good judgment.

At the front of the room, the Professor straightened up, cleared his throat, and announced that class would begin. Lisbon walked between the desks to take her usual seat at the back of the room, shooting Tokyo a dirty look as she passed. Tokyo returned it with interest. No matter how much the others tried to convince her, no matter what the Professor said – she would never, ever like this woman.

They had lunch outside under the shadow of the big tree. The food was good, and Moscow felt pleasantly relaxed as he listened to the conversation of the others. He didn't take this for granted, the good food, the companionship, the relatively easy life they'd been living over the past few months. He noticed and appreciated it, and he was mindful to be grateful for it while it lasted. It would all be over soon. He looked over at his son, sitting a few places to his left, and he hoped for the thousandth time that he hadn't made a mistake dragging him into this. He wasn't worried for himself – his life had never been that important, and now that his son was grown and didn't need him anymore, it was even less so – but he worried for Ricardo. When the Professor had contacted him to be a member of the team, he had insisted that his son be a part of the operation, too. He wanted a better life for the boy, a better life than he could give him.

Moscow shot a look at the Professor, who was talking to Lisbon, their heads close together. He hadn't really been surprised when the Professor had announced yesterday that they were in a relationship – he'd suspected something for a while now. Those two had been drawn to each other right from the beginning, and Moscow understood why. They were a good match. He _had _been surprised that the Professor would break his own rules, though – he'd thought they would wait until after the heist to get together. Moscow couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive as he watched the two of them so absorbed in each other. The Professor had struck him as a man with a singular ability to focus, and that was what had made Moscow trust him with his life – and, more importantly, his son's life – on this crazy, dangerous mission. Yet he seemed to have lost a lot of that focus now. Moscow could understand that. He had once been in love like that. But he couldn't help but worry how it would affect the operation.

He watched as the couple got up and left to go on a walk, hand in hand, radiating happiness, and he smiled in spite of his apprehension. It might not be ideal for the mission, but on a human level, he was glad they had found each other. He didn't think that the Professor had known much love in his life, and Lisbon had clearly been through some hard times. They deserved this. Moscow let his thoughts drift back for a moment to the love of his own life, how beautiful it had been during those first few years, the good times, before things had turned so ugly. Letting her go had been the biggest mistake of his life, and he would carry that guilt and regret with him until the end. He should have tried harder to help her, he shouldn't have given up on her so easily. Looking back now, he knew what he hadn't known at the time: that a love like that was worth fighting for. He watched the Professor and Lisbon disappear among the trees, and he hoped that they realized that.

Helsinki was hungry. Granted, he was usually hungry, but it was twenty minutes past dinnertime and the food hadn't materialized yet, and his stomach was complaining loudly. The Professor and Lisbon had disappeared into the kitchen more than an hour ago, and he couldn't imagine what was taking them so long. Helsinki decided to get up and see if he could hurry things along a bit.

When he pushed open the door to the kitchen, the question of why the food hadn't appeared yet immediately answered itself. Lisbon was sitting on the kitchen table and the Professor was standing in front of her, and they were so busy kissing they didn't even hear him come in. Helsinki crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"You call this cooking?"

The Professor looked up in alarm and immediately took several steps back, blushing. Lisbon, on the other hand, hopped off the table with a smile.

"I'm sorry it's taking so long, Helsinki."

"People are hungry", he pointed out.

"I know, I promise it's almost ready."

"You can't kiss in the kitchen."

She grinned at him. "No, I don't agree with that, it worked perfectly well."

He grinned back at her. "Do I need to keep standing here to make sure you'll actually cook stuff now?"

She laughed. "Or you could help us, to make up for lost time."

"So now _I _have to work because _you _act like teenagers?" he pretended to grumble, but he started taking out plates to set the table anyway.

"Come on Helsinki", Lisbon smiled. "Haven't you ever been so in love you forgot to eat?"

So they were actually in love, then. He'd wondered. Not that he felt like it was any of his business who did what with whom and why, but hey, good for them. He grabbed a stack of plates and walked out of the kitchen again. He supposed he should be grateful that he hadn't walked in on them doing worse things on that kitchen table.

All throughout the day, Berlin had been watching his brother with Raquel, and he had to say he was satisfied. She was good for him. His little brother. Such a serious child, an earnest teenager, a sober adult – and now he was smiling, laughing even, with a levity of spirit that Berlin had never observed in him before. He'd always liked the thought of this relationship, and now that he had seen them together, he liked it even more. His brother was a changed man.

After dinner, it so happened that it was his and Sergio's turn to do the dishes, according to the rotating roster that Sergio had drawn up. So they ended up in the kitchen together, and Berlin washed while his brother dried with a soft smile on his face. He left him to his daydreams for a while, but then he couldn't resist saying:

"You look very happy."

Sergio looked up at him, a warm expression in his eyes. "I am. Andrés, she's… she's so amazing."

"I'm glad you were able to reconcile after your little disagreement yesterday."

His brother's expression immediately turned more sober. "So am I. I was so afraid she wouldn't forgive me." He was quiet for a moment, then said: "How do you think the others are taking this?"

"Not bad, on the whole", Berlin said.

Nairobi came in with more dishes, then went to the fridge to take out another bottle of wine.

Sergio shook his head. "I was rather taken aback by their reactions yesterday. I thought by now they would trust her."

"They didn't really distrust her, they were just egged on by Tokyo. She's the only one who really has a problem with Lisbon."

"I have to admit that it worries me. We can't have this kind of discord within the team. For a while, it looked like it was getting better, but yesterday's events really made things worse again. I don't know how to solve this. I care about them both and I can't stand to have them at odds."

"I'm not sure there's anything you can do", Berlin said.

"I know I shouldn't take sides, but…"

Nairobi slammed the fridge door. "Oh, yes you do."

Sergio turned to her. "I do?"

"Yes! You take Lisbon's side in this!"

"But I'm the leader of the team, shouldn't I be impartial in a disagreement between its members?"

Nairobi rolled her eyes. "_Sure_, if you want to terminally piss off your girlfriend. You stay out of this, Profe."

"Alright", Sergio sighed, turning back to the dishes. "Then we'll just have to see how things develop. But this bothers me so much."

"I don't care if it bothers you", Nairobi said from the doorway. "You keep your mouth shut and try not to fuck up again. You won't find another woman like Lisbon anytime soon."

"I'm well aware of that", Sergio said, his tone serious.

"Good", Nairobi nodded, then left.

Sergio glanced at Berlin. "Do you think she's right?"

"Yes, I do", Berlin said appreciatively, "Stand by your woman. You have to be aware of something very important, little brother: a woman like Raquel should be treated right."

"How… how do I treat her right?"

"Ah", Berlin grinned. "Now you're asking the right questions. Let me share some of the wisdom I've acquired after four marriages."

"Not to mention four divorces", Sergio muttered.

Berlin waved a hand. "Sure, sure, it never worked out in the end, but we had some good times along the way and I know how to keep a woman happy."

"Alright", Sergio said. "I'm quite painfully clueless, so I'll take any advice I can get."

"Rule number one: don't flirt with other women."

Sergio snorted. "Couldn't if I wanted to. What else?"

"Women like strong men. Don't be afraid to take the lead."

"Well…", he swallowed. "I can try… Anything else?"

"Compliment her. Show her that you see her, that you appreciate her."

His brother nodded thoughtfully. "That's actually good advice."

"Of course it is. And I think it's especially important for you to remember."

"Why me?"

"You know you get distracted, Sergio. After the first flush of being in love fades, make sure she doesn't start thinking that you're taking her for granted. That's when they leave you. I've been there, I know."

His brother turned to him with an anxious look. "How do I keep her from thinking that I'm taking her for granted?"

"Show her you care, do something romantic every once in a while."

"Like what?"

"Buy her flowers. Tell her you love her. Have you ever even taken her out on an actual date?"

"No", Sergio said, flustered. "Do you think I should have?"

"It certainly can't hurt."

He shook his head in dismay. "It never even occurred to me that that might be something she would want."

"See, what you need to remember", Berlin grinned, "is that women like to be wooed."

"That doesn't sound like something I'd be good at", Sergio said, a little alarmed.

"It's not that hard."

"So what should I do?"

"Tell her you want to take her out, for starters. Make reservations at a nice restaurant. Something romantic, mind you. Tell her she looks beautiful."

"Alright… I suppose I could do that. You really think she'd like that?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Well, then, thank you. I'll follow your advice."

Raquel entered the kitchen, and Berlin noticed how his brother's eyes lit up at the sight of her.

"Are you almost done?" she asked. "It's such a nice evening, I hoped we could go outside and enjoy it for a bit."

"Go", Berlin nodded. "I'll finish up here."

When he was alone in the kitchen, he dried the remaining plates with a vague feeling of relief. He'd worried about what would happen to his brother after he was gone – Sergio didn't have any friends, and they had no family left. Berlin had watched over his little brother all his life, and he hadn't liked the thought of leaving him entirely alone in the world. But he had a feeling that Sergio had found something real at last, and he felt comforted by the thought that there would be someone to take care of him when he himself couldn't be that person anymore. Sergio was… special, and he sensed that Raquel understood that. Good. He was glad.

Berlin smiled to himself, satisfied. His many ex-wives had invariably left him with the bitter reproach that he didn't care about anything but himself. They were wrong. He cared about Sergio.

It was late. Everyone else had gone to bed, but Denver wanted one more cigarette before going up to his room. He stepped out onto the terrace, but was stopped by the sound of voices – the Professor and Lisbon, sitting in the same sun lounger, sharing a blanket against the slight chill in the air. Denver hesitated for a moment, then decided not to disturb them. He assumed they would like their privacy, so he went to smoke on the steps in front of the front door instead. There was a weird feeling in his stomach as he thought about the couple on the terrace. He wasn't great at identifying weird feelings, but he gave this one some thought. He wasn't usually interested in other people's relationships, but the Professor and Lisbon's looked nice. All the girls he'd dated – and there had been a lot – had been shallow and vain, and dating them had been a turbulent and unsatisfying business, but he'd never questioned it. Now he wondered what it would be like to be with a good woman, a really good woman.

Looking back over the day, he remembered the Professor and Lisbon talking together, walking together, laughing quietly at some private joke. There seemed to be an understanding between them, a companionship, a mutual respect that was foreign to Denver. He didn't know many good relationships – his mother had left him and his father, his friends broke up and got back together at the speed of light, and he himself had certainly never had a relationship he would call 'good' – but he recognized one when he saw it. He suddenly realized what the feeling in his stomach was: it was longing. They had looked so cozy, so intimate, close together under the stars. He wanted that too. He wondered if he would ever find it. He knew he wasn't exactly a catch: he was a knucklehead, a brawler, a petty criminal. But for a good woman, he would get his act together. For a good woman, Denver knew, he would do anything.

Nairobi was lying on her bed, reading a magazine, when she heard the door of the room next to hers open and the sound of two people talking quietly. She smiled. She was glad that those two idiots had been able to work things out. They were clearly right for each other, but at a certain point Nairobi wouldn't be around anymore to save their asses, so the sooner they figured things out, the better. She had to admit that she'd been particularly pleased to see them together today. After all, it was thanks to _her _that they'd gotten together in the first place, so she felt rather invested in this relationship, and it seemed to be going well.

She suddenly didn't feel like being alone anymore, so she got up and went down the hall to knock on Tokyo's door.

"Can I come in?" she asked as Tokyo opened the door. "Or are you expecting company?"

"Not tonight", Tokyo said, and let her in.

They turned on the radio and let themselves fall on the bed.

"So no Rio tonight?"

"No", Tokyo said shortly.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Tokyo sighed. "He's gotten this stupid idea in his head that the Professor will be okay with us sleeping together now that he's dating Lisbon."

"He probably will be. You should talk to him."

"Don't you start, too", Tokyo snapped.

"I thought you wanted to be with Rio?"

"Look", Tokyo said, "he's a cute kid, but I don't want anything serious right now. Talking to the Professor would make it so… official."

Nairobi nodded, reminding herself that it had only been a few months since Tokyo's boyfriend had been killed. It took time to get over that sort of thing.

Tokyo sighed. "I wish they could just have kept things quiet, him and that stupid cop."

Nairobi turned on her side to face Tokyo. "Why do you hate her so much?"

"Why _don't _you hate her?"

"She's a good person."

"There's no such thing as a good cop", Tokyo scoffed.

"She's not a cop anymore, though."

"Once a cop, always a cop."

"I don't agree with that. I think people deserve second chances."

"Do cops ever give people second chances?" Tokyo said heatedly.

"It's important that we function well as a team, all together."

"She won't be entering the Mint with us, she's not really a part of our team."

"She'll be in the control room though, you'll need to take orders from her if necessary."

"I'll take my orders from Berlin. I don't care who _he _gets his orders from."

"I think you should at least give her a chance."

"Forget it, Nairobi. I don't owe her anything."

"True", Nairobi said. "You don't owe her anything. But you owe the Professor a great deal."

Tokyo raised her eyebrows. "Do I?"

"You know you do."

"What I _know _is that I'm about to risk my life to execute his plan for him while he'll be safe in the control room."

"But if it works, you walk away with millions of euros."

"It's still a big risk."

"A risk you wouldn't even be able to take if the Professor hadn't kept you from getting arrested! You know he's the only reason you're not in jail!"

Tokyo gave her a sullen look. "So?"

"So this is hard on him, you and Lisbon fighting. If you can't like her for herself, then at least accept her for his sake. You owe him that much."

"You really think I owe him that?"

"For your freedom? For your future? Yes", Nairobi said firmly. "I think you do. I think we all do."

Tokyo was quiet for a while. Then she gave a short nod.

"Fine. I'll try. For the Professor."

"Good", Nairobi said, wisely dropping the matter. "Now turn up the music and hand me that bottle of wine."

Sergio fell back into the pillows, out of breath, and opened his arms so she could cuddle up to him. He loved holding her afterwards, loved how she stroked his chest, loved the way she tilted up her face to kiss him.

"I love making love to you", he murmured.

"Lucky for me", she smiled.

He sighed happily. "What a great ending to a great day."

"Yes", she said, "it was rather lovely, wasn't it?"

"I'm so glad we don't have to keep this a secret anymore."

"Me too. I hadn't fully realized how annoying it was to hide until we didn't have to do it anymore."

He'd thoroughly enjoyed everything about this day – showering with her, going down to breakfast together, standing close to her as they talked before class, the casual touches that they didn't need to hide anymore, going out walking together, kissing her in the kitchen, and especially sitting out under the stars with her on the terrace, close together under the same blanket. These were all small things, but they were new to him and he felt quite delighted. So this was what it was like to have a girlfriend. He could get used to this. Then he remembered the conversation he'd had with his brother.

"Raquel", he said, and she looked up at him.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to…" _Women like strong men_. He started over. "I want to take you out."

Her eyebrows went up in surprise. "Really? Where?"

"To dinner. A woman like you deserves a proper first date."

She smiled up at him in delight. "You're asking me out on a date?"

"If you want to…"

"Yes, I would love that." She kissed him. "That's so thoughtful of you."

Sergio silently thanked his brother. "Not at all."

Her eyes suddenly started to shine. "Can we go dancing?"

"Dancing?" he said, alarmed. Berlin had said nothing about dancing.

"It's been ages since I've been dancing and I love it so much."

He felt torn. He wanted to make her happy, but this? "Can we… can we maybe wait a few dates before I have to make an absolute fool of myself?"

She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Sure."

They were quiet for a while, and soon she fell asleep. He carefully kissed her hair and reflected that he'd been needlessly worried that morning. The fact that the others now knew about them didn't change a thing. In fact, it made him feel even stronger how she and him were now a team within the team, an alliance, a partnership. Even in the midst of the others, in the classroom or at the dinner table, she only had to look at him to reaffirm that connection, to re-establish something of the intimate little world they inhabited when they were alone. Though he also couldn't wait to take her out and really be alone with her again. On a date. Their first, real date. Where should he take her? He wanted it to be somewhere special, to show her that he cared. _Make sure she doesn't start thinking that you're taking her for granted. That's when they leave you. _He hoped he would never, ever take her for granted, he thought as she cuddled closer to him in her sleep. She deserved better than that. He hoped he could give her better.


	20. Date

It was early afternoon and classes had ended for the day when Raquel went to Nairobi's room and knocked.

"Hi Nairobi, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Could I maybe borrow some of your makeup? I didn't bring any… you know, since I was on my way to jail before I came here."

Nairobi opened the door further. "Of course. Come on in."

She indicated that Raquel should sit down in front of the mirror and placed her bag of make-up in front of her.

"Use whatever you like."

"Thank you."

As Raquel was rummaging through the bag, Nairobi sat down behind her on the bed, watching her.

"So why are you getting all dolled up?"

"The Professor and I are going out and I'd like to look nice."

"You do know his name, right? Or do you call him 'Professor' in the bedroom too?" Nairobi teased.

Raquel grinned at her. "Sometimes. But yes, I do know his name."

"So whose idea was it to go out?"

"His", Raquel said, then, seeing Nairobi's expression in the mirror: "I know, I was surprised too! He said we should have a real, proper first date."

"Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know", she smiled. "He wouldn't tell me."

"How mysterious."

"I know."

"You can't just go to a restaurant though, can you? You might be recognized."

"Yes, and I'm sure he'll have thought of that, so I have no idea what he has planned for today."

She held out two different lipsticks towards Nairobi. "Which one do you think would suit me best?"

Nairobi considered them for a moment, then said: "The red one."

Raquel shook her head as she turned back to the mirror, smiling softly to herself. "It's so silly. I feel like I'm sixteen again, and getting ready for my first date with the boy I like."

"You really like him, huh?"

She looked up, her eyes shining. "I do. I know it's strange, I know I should focus on the heist. He's just so…"

She sighed, and Nairobi laughed, then threw her a curious look.

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure", Raquel said, applying mascara.

"What's he like in bed?"

She smiled broadly. "I can't complain."

"He just seems so cold and distant."

"Oh, that's just the way he is in public. He's not like that at all in private."

"Then what is he like?"

A dreamy expression appeared on Raquel's face. "He's so sweet. A bit absent-minded at times, sure, he sometimes gets lost in his thoughts. But apart from that he's so attentive, so gentle."

"He seems like such a weird dude to date."

"Well", Raquel said thoughtfully. "I can't deny that he's challenging at times. But he makes up for it in so many ways. I won't pretend that he's perfect, but he's perfect for me."

Nairobi nodded. "Fair enough. I couldn't do it, but I'm glad it works for you."

"He just needs a little patience and understanding", she said gently.

Nairobi laughed. "That's exactly why I couldn't date him. My patience is pretty limited."

Raquel suddenly turned to her. "But you tried to sleep with him, didn't you?"

"Hey", Nairobi said, raising her hands defensively. "That was before I knew you liked him, I haven't given him a second thought since I found out."

"Oh, I'm not jealous", Raquel quickly clarified. "I just meant: you must have found _something _attractive about him, right?

She shrugged. "Sure, he's handsome."

"So is Berlin. So is Denver. So is Rio. But as far as I know, you haven't tried to sleep with any of them."

"Rio is a child, Berlin is a bastard, and Denver is… well, Denver. So, yes, if I had to choose from the lot, I'd choose the Professor. He's a good guy. I'd sleep with him, but I'd never date him."

"All the better", Raquel smiled, and turned back to the mirror. "By the way, Nairobi, I never properly thanked you."

"What for?"

"For getting us together."

Nairobi grinned. "Yeah, well, it didn't seem like this idiot was handling things particularly well and it looked like you could use all the help you could get. So I just… nudged him in the right direction."

"That was very kind of you."

Nairobi rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I just couldn't stand his sad puppy eyes the day after you had that fight. I've never seen a man so defeated, it was depressing just to watch. Especially since it could be solved so easily."

"I'm not sure he would have come around if you hadn't told him I was leaving."

"He just needed to be confronted with his feelings. I've never seen anyone so blind to what was right under his nose."

Raquel put the last touches to her make-up, then got up. "Well, thank you. And thank you for the make-up."

"Anytime", Nairobi said. "Have fun on your date!"

…

He was tying his tie in front of the mirror in his room. For the past few days, his brother's words had kept echoing in his head: _a woman like Raquel should be treated right. _He felt instinctively that that was true, but he wasn't entirely sure how to go about it, and he just hoped this date would be a good start. _Women like strong men, so don't be afraid to take the lead_. That would be more difficult, but he would give it a try. He wanted to be the man she wanted him to be. As he gave his tie a final tug, he couldn't help but feel rather nervous – he knew she was looking forward to their date and he couldn't help but feel like a lot depended on it. This would be the first time they went out together, and it felt like anything could happen. In the house, they had their habits and routines, which regulated much of their interactions. How would their dynamic change in a purely social setting? Would she find him lacking in a romantic context? He knew he was venturing into territory that was unknown to him, and he was afraid that he would fail to do things she expected of him, simply because he wasn't aware of the social protocol. _A woman like Raquel should be treated right. _He so desperately wanted to treat her right.

After one final look in the mirror, he squared his shoulders and went out into the hallway to knock at her bedroom door. She opened it with a smile, and he felt his heart skip a beat. She looked gorgeous. Her eyes were darker and even more compelling than usual, her lips red and so kissable. Her hair flowed down in waves over her shoulders, left bare by the thin straps of her summer dress. He could only stare at her, until she raised an eyebrow and asked:

"Ready to go?"

He shook himself, feeling a little dazed. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you", she smiled, taking her purse and closing her bedroom door.

"So where are we going?" she asked him in the car.

"You'll see", he said lightly.

They drove for about an hour, talking about the heist, which was only about a month away now, and getting closer every day, looming larger and larger. Sergio was starting to feel a twinge of nerves every time he thought about it, but talking to Raquel always helped him regain his confidence. Finally they drove into Madrid. She kept looking around curiously to see where he was taking her, until he parked in front of the fake workplace where they had first slept together.

They got out of the car and she grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him. "So we're spending some more time here? That's perfect, I have some _very _good memories of this place."

He smiled. "No, I'm just parking the car here, I do have something specific planned for the afternoon."

"What?"

"You lived in Madrid for a long time, right?"

"Yes", she said. "Since my early twenties, after I finished at the police academy."

"Are you attached to the city?"

"Yes, I am", she said. "All my life, I wanted to live here, so I moved as soon as I could. I didn't grow up here, but I built my life here and I feel like it is _my _city." A sad look appeared in her eyes. "It breaks my heart a little that I'll never be able to come back after the heist."

"I thought so", he nodded. "So I suggest we use this afternoon to go into the city, so you can say goodbye to the places you love the most."

She looked up at him with shining eyes. "I would love that, Sergio. That's so thoughtful of you!"

She kissed him, then said: "But isn't it rather risky for me to go out in public, especially in Madrid?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think I thought of that?"

He took her inside. "It's mostly risky for you if you stay in one place for a while, because then people could recognize you and call the police. But if you just pass people on the street, you'd be long gone by the time the police could get there, so it's not really an issue if someone were to recognize you. But just in case we should pass a policeman, I have these."

He handed her a wig and fake glasses.

She grinned. "I've never worn a wig before, this will be fun."

She went up to the mirror in the bathroom, pinned up her hair, and tried it on. It was a short black wig, with hair that fell just to her shoulders and bangs. She grimaced.

"I look just like Tokyo now. Did you really have to get a wig with bangs?"

"It's the bangs that change your face the most", he argued. "They're necessary."

"I look awful."

"I don't agree", he smiled, wrapping his arms around her, but she pulled back from him.

"Don't kiss me while I look like Tokyo!" she protested laughingly. "I don't want you making those kinds of associations!"

He snorted. "I _think _I can keep you and Tokyo separated in my mind, thank you very much."

"Well", she said slowly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "In that case…"

She kissed him, and for several long moments they sank into it, her hands in his hair, his hand sliding down her back.

"Are we coming back here after our tour of the city?" she asked him huskily, pressing herself close to him.

"Yes", he murmured. "I thought we'd spend the night here."

She looked up at him in delight. "You mean we're not driving back to the house tonight?"

"No. If you want to stay here, that is."

"Oh, I want to", she smiled. "I'm curious – do you have a particular reason why you want to stay here tonight?"

He hesitated for a moment, then said: "At the house, we always have to be so quiet." He pulled her closer to him and whispered in her ear. "Tonight, I want to hear you moan when I make you come. Again… and again… and again."

She shivered, then looked up at him with such a look that it made his heart beat faster.

"Do we really have to wait until tonight?" she murmured, brushing her lips against his. "The bed is right there…"

Her nearness and the scent of her were clouding his mind, but he tried to stay strong. _Women like strong men._

"No, we're going out first."

She ran her fingers through his hair. "Are you sure?"

He closed his eyes and groaned as she stroked the back of his neck. "Don't tempt me, Raquel, you know I can't resist you."

"Then don't", she whispered. "Let's lie down and…"

She started to unbutton his shirt, and he pulled himself together with a supreme effort of will. He took her by the shoulders and firmly pushed her back.

"No! I told you I was taking you on a proper date, so we're going to do this right."

She grinned. "That's very firm of you."

"Yes", he said, carefully keeping her at arm's length. "I'm putting my foot down."

"Alright", she smiled. "Take me on a proper date then."

…

She put on the wig and fake glasses, and they took the subway into the center of the town. He let her decide where she wanted to go, and she seemed happy and excited to show him her favorite spots in the city. They steered clear of the big touristy places, and instead she took him along crooked streets with charming little shops, through shady green parks and to a café in a hidden courtyard where the jasmine crept up against the wall and spread the sweetest scent. She pointed out the shabby, cramped apartment where she used to live in her twenties, and her favorite bar from back in the day, where she used to go out with her friends in the weekends. She took him to a little cobbled marketplace in the same neighborhood, where he bought her a single red rose at a flower stall, and then they threw coins into a delicate trickling fountain and made a wish.

"What did you wish for?" she asked him.

"I can't tell you that", he said. "Or it won't come true."

She laughed. "Really? You're the _last _person I expected to be superstitious."

"I'm not risking it", he said. "It's too important."

"Well", she smiled. "I think I can guess it, anyway. Seeing as you've got to pull off the biggest heist in history in a few weeks."

Yes, he thought, he probably _should _have spent his wish on the heist. But as she took his hand and they walked along the sunlit street, he couldn't stop looking at her and he didn't regret his wish for a moment.

They went gradually east, back in the direction of the hideout. As they walked through the literary district, he dragged her along for a short detour past the house where Cervantes died.

"I've never seen it", he said. "And I'll never get the chance again."

Looking up at the house that had once belonged to Spain's greatest writer, Sergio asked her:

"So how old were you when you read _Don Quijote _for the first time?"

She grimaced. "I have to admit something. I've never actually read it."

He stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then said: "I'm sorry, I'm afraid this isn't working out. I wish you a lot of happiness with your next, hopefully illiterate, boyfriend."

She laughed and punched him on the shoulder. "I mean, I've read fragments of it in school, of course. But I've never actually sat down and read the entire thing."

"Why not?"

"Do you have any idea how _enormous _that book is? I'm a busy woman, I have other things to do."

"When this heist is over, I'm going to sit you down on a beach somewhere with a copy of _Don Quijote _and you're going to read it cover to cover."

She smiled. "I would actually really like that."

"Good", he teased her. "Because I cannot tolerate that kind of uncultured behavior near me."

She snorted. "You are _unbearably _pretentious, you know that?"

"Erudition is not the same as pretentiousness", he said with dignity.

"When you use words like that, you sound like a pompous university professor."

"I have to live up to my name somehow", he smiled.

They went on hand in hand, crossing through the El Retiro park on their way home, with its large monument to Alfonso XII at the edge of a lake. There were some people out on boats on the lake, and when Raquel saw them, she turned to him with shining eyes.

"Let's take a boat out onto the lake", she said.

He looked at her in horror. "Please tell me you're joking."

"No, I'm not! I used to take Paula out boating all the time here, I'd love to do it one more time."

"But it's going to get dark soon", he tried. "They'll be closing."

"They only close at nightfall", she said. "We can enjoy the sunset out on the lake and bring the boat back immediately afterwards."

"I don't like boats, Raquel."

"Aren't we leaving Europe on a boat after this is over?"

"I don't mind _big _boats, but I can't stand small ones. They make me nervous."

"Why?"

"I don't want to fall into the water."

She laughed. "Why would you fall into the water? I've been on this lake dozens of times, and I've never seen anyone fall in."

When he still looked thoroughly unconvinced, she gave him a sly look. "It would be very romantic. Something to do on a _real, _proper date."

He laughed. "Oh, that's not fair!"

"Please?" she wheedled.

He hesitated. _Women like strong men. _He supposed it wasn't exactly attractive to be afraid of little boats.

"Fine", he sighed. "Fine. But I'm doing this under protest!"

"Duly noted", she said, amused.

It took some convincing on Raquel's part, but the man at the boat rental let them take out a boat on the condition that they bring it back immediately after sundown. Raquel walked to the end of the jetty and got down into a boat. Sergio followed her with the utmost apprehension, very careful not to rock the boat as he got into it, but he still didn't like the way it wobbled or how close the murky green water was. He did his best not to show it, though. He took up the oars and, after a little trial and error, he managed to row them out into the middle of the lake, where they drifted peacefully, watching the sky erupt in fiery shades of orange and gold as the sun went down. He had to admit that it was a spectacular sight as the colors were reflected in the still water of the lake. She took his hand and smiled at him, and he forgot all of his discomfort at the sight of that smile.

Still, he couldn't wait to get off that boat once the sun was down, so he set a quick pace rowing them back to shore. In fact, he was so eager to get off, that he stood up as the boat sped the last few yards towards the jetty, ready to jump out as soon as possible.

"No, don't!" she said warningly. "Stay down until…"

But it was already too late. The boat bumped into the jetty, hard, making it wobble like mad, and the next thing Sergio knew, he was in the water. It was shockingly cold, but it wasn't deep, and to his relief his feet quickly found the bottom. When he resurfaced, spluttering, Raquel was bent double, helpless with laughter.

"Oh, yes", he grumbled, as he heaved himself out of the water onto the jetty. "Very funny. Absolutely hilarious. This is _so _unhygienic – there's ducks and geese on this lake, I've probably caught salmonella."

"I'm sorry, Sergio", she said weakly, taking off her fake glasses to wipe away tears of laughter. "It's just… One moment you were there and the next you were…"

She started laughing all over again. He looked at her as he wrung out his jacket, and his chagrin and embarrassment started to fade. He'd never seen her laugh like that, with such childlike joy, her entire body shaking. Suddenly he didn't mind half as much that he was soaked and cold – it was almost worth it to see her this happy. _Almost_. Provided he hadn't actually caught salmonella.

He had to help her out of the boat, because she was weak with laughter.

"Ohh, my stomach hurts", she gasped as she took his hand. "I haven't laughed this hard in _years_."

"Glad I could entertain you, at least", he said drily.

Fortunately, it was only a short walk from the park to the hideout, where a shower and dry clothes and shoes were waiting for him. She kept bursting into fits of suppressed laughter all the way there, and by the time he was clean and dry again and he no longer smelled of duck pond, he supposed he could see the humor of the situation. When he emerged from the bathroom, however, she was waiting for him with a contrite expression on her face.

"I'm sorry I laughed."

"It's okay, I'm sure it looked very funny."

"It did", she said, her face breaking into another smile, which she quickly suppressed. "But I can imagine it wasn't funny to you."

She walked up to him and pulled him close as she looked up at him appealingly. "Can you forgive me?"

He felt something inside him melt as he looked down into her big, dark eyes. Why did she always have such an effect on him?

"Yes", he whispered, then leaned in for a kiss, which she returned with enthusiasm.

"So", she said as they broke apart again, throwing a longing glance at the bed. "Can we move on to the next stage of the date now?"

"Yes", he said, carefully disengaging from her. "That would be dinner."

"Oh, come on", she said, glancing at the bed again. "Can't we just…"

"No", he said firmly. "We have a reservation in half an hour."

"A reservation?" she said in surprise. "I thought we'd just order some take-out."

"Excuse me?" he said indignantly. "You think I'd serve you take-out on our proper date?"

"But we can't go to a restaurant! You said I couldn't stay in the same place for fear that someone might recognize me and call the police."

"And you thought the best solution I could come up with was take-out?"

"Isn't it, then?" she smiled.

"I'm deeply offended that you don't think more highly of my problem-solving skills."

She laughed. "My apologies, Mr. Genius. So where are we going?"

"You'll see", he smiled mysteriously.

…

He took her to a very nice restaurant which was only a short walk away. She hesitated as he walked up to it.

"Sergio, we can't go in there."

"We're not", he assured her. He took out a key and opened the gate next to the main entrance. "Come on."

He led her to the back of the restaurant, where there was a tiny but cozy garden, the trees and bushes hung with fairy lights. A single table was waiting for them there, set for two, with a candle in the middle.

She looked at him in delight. "Is this for us?"

"Yes", he said, smiling at the look on her face. "I convinced the restaurant to let us use their garden for the evening. Do you like it?"

"I love it", she said, kissing his cheek. "This is really shaping up to be quite a decent date. Sunset on the lake, dinner under the stars. You really know how to charm a lady."

He felt a warm glow of pleasure at her words. He had so badly wanted to do this right.

A waiter came out and took their order. Raquel frowned at his retreating back as he went back inside.

"What if the waiter recognizes me?"

"He's been thoroughly bribed", Sergio assured her. "He'll be discreet."

The food was excellent, and the wine even better. Sergio was starting to feel pleasantly relaxed as they talked over dessert and coffee. Then she shot him a smile.

"You know, a few days ago I borrowed a magazine from Nairobi, and there was an interesting article in there."

"Really?" he said vaguely. "What was it about?"

"Some guys at Harvard have developed three questions that will determine if a relationship has a good chance of succeeding in the long term."

He suddenly felt very alert as he sat up a little straighter. "What?"

"There's three questions, and if you both give the same answer to all three of them, the relationship has a better chance of success than if your answers differ." She grinned. "Do you want to try answering them?"

"No, I don't!" he said, alarmed. "What if we don't answer the same thing?"

"Don't tell me you of all people would take this sort of pseudo-science seriously", she scoffed.

"I don't", he said. "But I believe in the power of suggestion, and if our answers differ, that might make you question if we're really compatible and then who knows where that would lead?"

She gave him a soft smile. "I'm not going to like you any less if our answers differ."

"I'm not risking it", he said stubbornly.

"But aren't you _curious_?"

She had him there.

"Yes", he admitted reluctantly.

"Then let's answer them!"

"You really want to do this?"

"Yes!"

"Alright… you go first, then."

She laughed. "No way! Then you'll just copy my answer. I'm going to ask the question, and then we answer at the same time."

"Fine", he grumbled.

"The first question is very simple: do you like horror movies? Answer on three. One… two… three."

"Not really", they both said at the same time, and Sergio felt a surge of relief. That was at least one point in favor of compatibility, then.

"What a strange question to test for romantic success, though", he said.

She nodded thoughtfully. "I think it might measure levels of empathy, but I'm not sure."

"What's the next question?"

"The second one is an objective question about your past, so we don't have to answer at the same time. Have you ever traveled in a foreign country on your own?"

"Yes", he said. "Often. You?"

"Yes", she replied, and he felt another surge of relief. "When I was twenty, I was going to go on a trip with a friend, but she got sick at the last minute and I decided to go without her. I didn't think I was going to enjoy it, but in fact I met a lot of interesting people and I had a great time."

"Alright", he said, tensing again. "What's the last question?"

"That one is a lot harder to answer, so let's take some time to think it over. I'm going to quote it literally as it was formulated in the article: 'Wouldn't it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat?'"

He didn't really need to think about that. He'd go live on the damn moon if that's where she wanted to go.

"You answer first", he said.

"Yes", she smiled. "I think that might be fun, at least for a while. To sail around the world and see new places and cultures. I'd like that."

He gave her a serious look. "Then let's do that when this heist is over."

"We can't", she shook her head. "Paula has to go to school."

"In the holidays, then", he said. "We can rent a boat and learn to sail it."

She laughed. "Are you sure you want to get back on a boat after today?"

He grinned. "I'll stay in the middle of the deck at all times."

"So does that mean your answer is yes, too?"

"Yes", he said thoughtfully. "The sailboat part isn't entirely necessary for me, but the thought of 'chucking it all' and living a carefree life somewhere? Well, yes. That's kind of what I'm doing this heist for. To escape the system."

She gave him a radiant smile. "Looks like we're compatible then."

He heaved a big sigh of relief. "Thank god."

"Were you worried?"

"A little", he admitted.

She gave him a soft smile. "I wasn't."

He returned her smile. She was so amazing. As he paid the bill and they got up to go, he could feel himself really relax for the first time all day. Their date was almost over now, and – aside from the little mishap on the lake – everything had gone smoothly. All that was left now was to return to the hideout and take her to bed, but he wasn't really worried about that part. As they left the restaurant garden hand in hand, she was humming slightly and he felt like he'd passed an important boyfriend test. Their first date had been great – and now there was nothing that could go wrong anymore. He felt like humming himself as they walked into the fragrant summer night.

_To be continued…_


	21. Date (part 2)

On their way home from the restaurant, they made a short detour, which led them past the Mint. They stood looking at it for a while, hand in hand, silent. In only a few short weeks, they would be back here, and the events inside that building would determine the rest of their lives. Sergio suddenly realized something. All his life, he'd been focused on the future, always able to picture the years up until the heist with crystalline clarity. But now, when he thought of his future after the heist, he couldn't see anything. He'd never really thought about _after_: the operation itself had eclipsed everything else. He'd had a vague idea of himself and his brother on a beach somewhere, but now he couldn't even see that anymore. He tried to picture his life with Raquel, but the images wouldn't come – the heist was too big of a risk, the outcome too unpredictable. This could end in so many different ways. Paradise. Prison. Death. He looked at her and saw his own thoughts reflected in her face.

She squeezed his hand. "Let's really enjoy the rest of our evening, shall we?"

He nodded and shook his head to clear it of dark thoughts. She was right, they should enjoy their time together while they still could. He took a deep breath and focused on her again, noticing suddenly that she was shivering in her light summer dress. He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, and she smiled up at him.

"Thank you, that's very sweet of you. You're a real gentleman."

He smiled, pleased. Then she suddenly leaned into him and whispered in his ear:

"Now let's go home so I can get you out of your pants too."

He grinned. "I thought women don't usually sleep with men on the first date."

She ran her fingers through his hair and bit his earlobe. "I'll make an exception for you."

They smiled at each other, then she took his hand and they started heading home. After a few blocks, however, a tantalizing strain of music on the night air made her look up eagerly. It was coming from a café on the other side of the street – inside, there were colored lights, energetic music, and a lot of people were dancing. He glanced at her and noticed the way she looked at the dancers with an expression of longing. _A woman like Raquel should be treated right_. Oh god. He hated crowds, he hated noise, he hated dancing, but she clearly wanted to and… _women like strong men. _He spoke quickly, before he could change his mind.

"Let's go in."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

He steeled himself. "Yes, you said you wanted to go dancing."

"But you said you didn't."

"I changed my mind", he lied.

She bit her lip as she threw the café another longing look. "Do you think it's safe to go in?"

"I should say so, it's quite dark in there and nobody will pay us any attention anyway."

Her eyes were sparkling. "Alright, then let's go in!"

So, his heart beating fast with apprehension, he crossed the street with her and they entered the café. He regretted his decision instantly. The music was so much louder inside, everything smelled of spilled beer and sweaty bodies, and it was so crowded that people kept bumping into him. Raquel didn't seem to notice any of it, though, turning to him with a broad smile.

"Do you want to get something to drink first?" she asked, having to yell to make herself heard over the noise.

He nodded gratefully – anything that kept them from dancing for as long as possible. They made their way through the crowd to the bar, and she ordered wine while he just asked for water.

She raised her eyebrows. "Water, really?"

"We already had wine at dinner", he said. "Too much alcohol clouds my mind."

"It might help you lower your inhibitions a little, though", she grinned.

He shuddered at the very thought. He'd already fallen into a lake today – he felt like he'd made enough of a fool out of himself for one date. If he was going to dance, he wanted to be in full control of his mental faculties, so he stuck to water as they sat down and watched the dancers. He could feel himself get increasingly nervous as he noticed her tap her foot along with the rhythm, and watching the men on the dance floor didn't help either: they all seemed so confident, swinging their partners around with easy grace. And why did the music have to be so loud? His head was starting to pound. Finally he decided he should just get it over with, so he got up and offered her his hand, and she took it with a radiant smile.

They stepped onto the dance floor, looking for an open spot, and there were people all around him, crowding close. The noise was overwhelming. Suddenly he froze, paralyzed. What was he _thinking_? He couldn't _dance. _He would never be able to do this right, he'd only embarrass her, and what would she think of him then?

She was frowning at him. "Sergio? Are you okay?"

The noise, the heat, the crowd – he suddenly couldn't take it anymore. He started pushing his way through the dancers towards the door, feeling an immediate wave of relief wash over him as he stepped into the quiet darkness outside. He was gratefully gulping in the cool night air when she stepped out too.

"Okay, what just happened?"

"I'm sorry", he said quietly. "I just couldn't do it."

"I get that", she said. "What I _don't _get is why you proposed it in the first place, then."

"You're angry", he said, a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He'd let her down.

But she reached out a hand and gently stroked his cheek.

"No, of course I'm not angry, I'm just confused. It was your suggestion we go in to dance, I didn't ask you to do it."

He took a deep breath. "I just wanted this to be the perfect date for you."

"By pushing yourself over your limits?"

"I should be able to do something as simple as dancing, though", he said, frustrated with himself. "You deserve someone who can take you dancing. You deserve someone strong and confident. Women like strong men." He looked up and noticed her frown. "Don't they?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Who have you been talking to?"

"What?"

"You didn't come up with this nonsense on your own. Who said you had to be strong and confident?"

He hesitated for a moment, then said: "Berlin."

She gave him a look of horror. "You're taking romantic advice from _Berlin_?"

"A lot of women like him", he said defensively.

"Sure, until they get to know him better. Sergio, I don't want you to be like Berlin!"

He looked up. "You don't?"

"No! You know who was strong and confident? My ex-husband. Do you think I want another man like that? I like you, Sergio, because you're _different_ from men like Alberto or Berlin. You're kind and sweet and _that's _what I love about you. Who cares if you can't take me dancing?"

"But you love to dance."

"Not if it makes you so uncomfortable."

"Berlin said a woman like you should be treated right."

"Well", she smiled. "I won't object to that, but treating me right shouldn't come at the expense of your happiness or wellbeing. A relationship should work for both parties involved."

"I just want you to be happy", he murmured.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him. "But I _am _happy. You make me happy."

She gave him such a soft smile that he could barely stand it. What had he done to deserve her? He bent his head and pressed his lips to hers, and she leaned against him as she responded. Twining his fingers into her hair, he pressed her closer with one hand on the small of her back, and kissed her harder, deeper, for several long moments. When he pulled back, she was slightly breathless.

"Goddammit Sergio, you can't kiss me like that in the middle of the street."

He smiled. "Why not?"

She grabbed his hair and murmured in his ear: "Because if you do it again I'm going to have to drag you into an alley and fuck you up against a wall and as a former cop I can tell you that's definitely not allowed."

He grinned. "Let's get you home then, before your libido gets us arrested for public indecency."

…

The moment the door closed behind them, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely, then started moving towards the bed.

He pulled back, however. "No, Raquel, wait a minute…"

She gave him a look of highest indignation. "No, I'm not waiting another minute! You know, you can't promise someone you're going to make her come over and over again and then not deliver. That's just not polite."

He smiled broadly. "Oh, I'll keep my promise, don't worry. But technically, this is still part of our date, so I want to do it right."

"Then take me to bed", she pleaded. "That's really all I'm asking for at this point."

"In a minute", he said. "Let me just set the mood first."

She groaned in frustration. "Sergio, _I'm already in the mood_."

He grinned. God, he loved her enthusiasm. "I've noticed. But I'm not ending this date without a little romance."

He reached for the fuse box, dimmed the big overhead lights and lit the fairy lights that were all over the workplace. Then he went over to the record player and carefully selected a slow, romantic song. When the music started up, his mind went back to the café, and he hesitated. Maybe he could still make this the perfect date, just… in his own way.

He turned around and held out his hand to her. "May I have this dance?"

Her eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

"Yes", he said. "I don't mind dancing here, when it's just you and me. You'll have to teach me, though."

She took his hand, smiling. "Let's keep it simple."

She placed his arms around her waist and wrapped her own arms around his neck.

"Now just… feel the music", she whispered.

He liked this song and he knew it well, so moving to the rhythm wasn't as hard as he'd thought it would be. After a minute, he felt himself relax and pulled her closer to him. She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed happily as they turned in slow circles, and he had to admit that, actually, this was quite nice.

They kept dancing until the song was done, after which she kissed him softly.

"That was perfect."

"Let's dance through the next song, too."

She pulled back a little and looked up at him.

"Sergio… I'm afraid I have a problem."

He frowned at her in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Well, see…" she murmured, leaning into him and putting her hand on his tie. "My boyfriend is too damn sexy and I can't keep my hands off him."

He grinned in delight. "That sounds like the opposite of a problem from my perspective."

"Oh, but it _is _a problem", she assured him seriously. "Because I've been trying to get him into bed all day and he _keeps _insisting that we do other things first."

He matched her serious expression. "Hmm, that doessound challenging."

"You have no idea", she sighed dramatically.

"Maybe your boyfriend can make it up to you now", he suggested.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "And how does he propose to do that?"

She gasped as he suddenly spun her around so her back was pressed against him.

"Like this", he murmured, and she sighed as he started kissing her neck. He moved his hands to cup her breasts, using his thumbs to stroke her nipples through the fabric of her dress until they hardened. "Was this the kind of thing you had in mind?"

"Yes", she breathed, leaning back against him. "Oh, yes."

He squeezed her nipples and nipped at the soft skin of her neck with his teeth. She bit her lip.

"You don't have to be quiet", he reminded her. "In fact, _please _don't be quiet."

She smiled, and when he squeezed her nipples again she closed her eyes and let out a soft moan.

"That's what I like to hear", he murmured. "But I think we can do better than that."

He might not feel very comfortable on the dance floor, he reflected, but _here _he knew exactly what he was doing, and he felt a calm, quiet confidence settle over him as he reached one hand underneath her dress and pressed his palm to her so she gasped. Then he slipped his hand inside her underwear so he could touch her, and he groaned.

"I can't believe you're this wet already."

"_Already_?" she said. "I've been waiting for this _all day_ and you…"

She abruptly stopped speaking and heaved a sigh as he entered her with two fingers. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her tight as he moved his fingers up and started stroking her where she wanted him most, and soon she was breathing fast, her eyes closed, her lips slightly parted, uttering soft moans that made him ache with longing for her. He kept himself firmly in check, however, as he focused entirely on _her_, and soon she was trembling in his arms. Recognizing the signs, he quickened the pace of his fingers, and suddenly her eyes flew open.

"Sergio!" she gasped, clutching at his arm. "I need to lie down!"

"I don't think you do", he murmured in her ear, tightening his arm around her waist. "I think I'm going to make you come right here."

"I don't think I can… standing up…" she panted, but he knew exactly where to touch her, and she threw her head back with a moan.

"I won't let you fall", he whispered. "Trust me."

"Oh god…" she moaned, her eyes tightly closed, her fingers gripping his arm. "Oh _god!_"

The next moment, to his utter delight, she started shaking, then leaned heavily against him as short, whispered moans escaped her lips. He kept up the movements of his fingers until she gasped and pushed his hand away. Immediately after, he felt her knees give way, and he quickly swept her up in his arms and lifted her off the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, then murmured against his lips:

"I want you, I want you, I want you so badly."

"Good", he rumbled in response. "Because I'm not nearly done with you."

"Oh", she sighed happily, then she kissed his neck as he carried her to the bed, and he felt his desire for her flare up with a sudden breathtaking intensity.

They undressed each other with eager hands, and he covered her in kisses before saying, a little breathlessly:

"Get on your knees."

She sat up and gripped his hair, then kissed him, hard.

"God, I love it when you take charge."

She turned around and got to her hands and knees, and he quickly got behind her. He couldn't possibly want her more. Yet he took his time to run his hands over her back and buttocks, and down her thighs, loving the sight of her like this. They didn't use this position back at the house because it made the bed rock and creak too hard, so he was going to damn well enjoy it now.

She looked back at him. "What are you waiting for?"

"Just looking at you", he murmured, still caressing her. "I love looking at you."

She laughed. "You can look at me all you want later, now _please_ get on with it."

"Oh no", he said, slowly running his hand up her inner thigh, making her squirm. "You can't have it both ways."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't say that you like it when I take charge and then try to rush me. If I'm in charge, then _I _get to decide what happens and when."

He withdrew his hands. "If I want to look at you, then I'll look at you."

He moved one hand around her hip and slipped it between her legs, making her shudder. "If I want to touch you, then I'll touch you."

He smiled, then said: "And if I want to take you very, very slowly…"

"Oh god, no", she groaned.

"No?" he teased her. "Then what _would _you like?"

"You know what I want, Sergio", she said.

"Yes", he murmured, stroking her inner thighs again. "But I'd like to hear you say it."

"Hard", she whispered. "I want you to take me hard."

He guided himself to her and gripped her hips with both hands, then he suddenly pushed into her, filling her entirely with one stroke, making a sharp cry burst from her lips.

"Like this?"

"Yes", she breathed, "exactly like that. Now don't stop!"

He gripped her hips even tighter and started taking her, hard and fast, pressing in deeply with each thrust, making her moan each time. She tilted her hips and he gasped as she was suddenly so tight around him, the sensation of it exquisitely, unbearably good. He gritted his teeth and took a deep breath – he didn't want to come yet – he had other priorities. He moved his hand around her hip again and quickly found the right spot, stroking her in time with the rhythm of their movements. Soon she was breathing hard again, and when he picked up the pace, she hung her head and started trembling, gasping, her hands gripping the sheets. Suddenly she cried out and he felt her clench around him, almost pushing him over the edge too, but he managed to hold on. God, feeling her come like that was almost unbearably hot.

He stopped and pulled back his hand to let her catch her breath, then he slipped his fingers back between her legs to start stroking her again. She quickly pushed his hand away, though.

"It's too sensitive now."

He pulled back from her entirely. "Then we'll have to find a different approach."

"What?"

She gasped as he pushed her onto her back, then laughed as he spread her legs and settled himself down between her thighs.

"What are you doing?"

"I seem to recall telling you I'd make you come again and again and again. I'm a man of my word."

She was smiling, but said: "I'm not sure I can come three times in a row, Sergio."

"Let's find out", he grinned. "This is the perfect time and place for a little experimentation."

"It's so sensitive now, though…"

He could feel her apprehension, so he dipped his head down and gave her the softest lick.

"How does that feel?"

"Oh", she sighed, and he felt her relax. "Yes, that feels nice. Do it again…"

He obliged her happily, applying his tongue in such a way that she was rendered speechless. He kept the pressure very, very light, but he made up for it by entering her with two fingers and pushing upwards. She arched her back and moaned. He struck up a steady rhythm and soon she was breathing fast again, her fingers entwined in the sheets, her head thrown back. It took a little longer this time, but he didn't mind at all. He was thoroughly enjoying the sounds she was making, loving every second of it, feeling richly rewarded when she rose up out of the pillows with a loud cry, then sobbed his name as the waves of the orgasm washed over her again and again. He reduced the pressure of his tongue, keeping her going for as long as she could bear, until she pushed his head away and fell back into the pillows, gasping and shivering.

He came up to lie beside her as she pressed her hands to her face and moaned softly.

"Oh my god, Sergio."

"I told you I'd keep my promise", he said smugly.

"I can't believe you made me come three times."

"This is _really _good to know for future reference", he grinned.

"You can't make me come three times every time though", she laughed. "I'm exhausted."

He took her in his arms and gently stroked her shoulder as she recovered. After a few minutes, she pulled his head down for a kiss.

"Weren't you the perfect boyfriend today", she murmured against his lips.

"It's no less than you deserve", he murmured back.

"Well", she said, her eyes sparkling. "And _you _deserve something in return now. I think I know just the thing."

She pushed him onto his back and started kissing his neck. He closed his eyes and smiled as she trailed her kisses down his chest and stomach, but when she went even lower and he realized what she was about to do, he stopped her.

"Raquel… I don't like that."

She sat up and gave him a look of utter disbelief. "I'm sorry… you _don't like _getting blowjobs?"

"Not really, no."

"Have you ever even gotten one?"

"Yes", he said. "Once."

"And you didn't like it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Teeth", he said succinctly. "Also, it was rather dry and just generally unstimulating."

"Oh", she said, comprehension dawning. "Was it your partner's first time doing it, by any chance?"

"I… I think so, yes."

She nodded. "Then she was probably rather nervous and clumsy. Well, I can assure you that is _not _what a blowjob usually feels like."

"It isn't?"

"No", she said, her eyes shining. "Are you willing to give it another chance with me?"

"I… I don't know, Raquel."

"I promise I won't hurt you. In fact, I one hundred percent guarantee you that you'll love it."

He had to admit that she had him intrigued. "You seem pretty confident."

She grinned. "Oh, I am."

"Well, then I don't suppose it could hurt to try again… But you'll stop if it's not working?"

"I will", she promised him. "Now lie back and relax."

"You don't mind doing it?" he asked her, remembering the definite lack of enthusiasm of his previous partner.

"No, I don't mind", she said. "In fact, I rather like it. I'm also rather good at it."

His curiosity was definitely piqued now. "Alright then. Go ahead."

His expectations were still low. Very low, in fact. Which was a good thing, he supposed, since it meant he wouldn't get disappointed. He settled himself more comfortably on his back and waited for her to start. She went to sit between his legs and at first she just ran her fingers lightly down his stomach, stopping short just before she reached critical territory. When his body started responding to that, she moved her hands to his knees and ran them upwards over his thighs. She repeated the motion a few times, then he inhaled sharply as she lightly used her fingernails to draw paths up his inner thighs, the feeling of it electric. When he shivered, she bent down and started pressing kisses everywhere but _there_ – his lower stomach, the sensitive creases of his legs, his inner thighs. Soon he was entirely hard and squirming for contact – any kind, as long as she would touch him.

"How's your enthusiasm for the idea?" she asked him, smiling.

"Growing", he said. Then, when she continued her tantalizing kisses, he groaned. "You're teasing me."

"That's a very astute observation."

He laughed. "Will you _stop_?"

"Not until you're begging me."

"You're asking me to beg you for something I don't really want in the first place?"

"Exactly."

He considered this. "I'm not sure my dignity will allow that."

She grinned. "Believe me, in a few minutes you'll feel like your dignity was a very small price to pay."

He raised an eyebrow. "I think I might need some more convincing."

"No problem", she whispered.

Then, very carefully, she ran her fingernails up his shaft. He shivered and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Oh. Do that again."

She obliged him, and he shivered again. However, he already knew she was good with her hands, so…

"This isn't convincing me about the blowjob, though", he argued.

She nodded. "Good point. Let me give you a preview, then."

She bent down, and this time she ran her tongue up his length. It felt soft and warm and he closed his eyes and sighed as she did it again. Then she reached the top, closed her mouth over him, and sucked, and his eyes flew open.

"Oh!"

She was doing something with her tongue now – he wasn't sure what, but he was _damn _sure that he liked it. Just when it was getting really good, she stopped and looked up with a smile.

"So. Should I continue?"

"Yes", he breathed.

"Then you know what to do", she said smugly.

"Please", he said immediately. "Please, Raquel, I'm begging you. Please do the thing you were just doing, it felt so good."

"That's what I like to hear", she smiled. "I won't have you unenthusiastic when you're in bed with me, it just won't do."

"Well, I'm not unenthusiastic anymore. In fact, I couldn't get any more enthusiastic."

She laughed. "I bet you can, though. Alright, foreplay is over, let's begin."

He blinked. "Wait… that wasn't it?"

She grinned at him. "I'm just getting started."

As she bent down again, his entire body was now tense with anticipation. When her warm, wet mouth closed over him again, he shut his eyes with a groan, then he inhaled sharply as she started moving down, taking him in as far as she could. God, that felt good. His breathing quickened as she started moving up and down, but she wasn't finished yet. Now that he was wet, she closed her hand around him with a firm grip, and put her mouth right behind her fingers. When she started moving up and down again, he gasped and clutched at the sheets.

"How… how are you doing that?"

The sensation was indescribably delicious: her hand so tight around him, with the added pleasure of her warm, soft mouth… _holy hell._ This compared in _nothing _to his previous experience: no teeth, no dry chafing, and all the right kinds of stimulation – he felt like he was floating. She did the thing with her tongue again and he moaned.

"Oh! Oh _god_, Raquel, what are you doing to me?"

Just when he thought it couldn't possibly get any better, she cupped his balls with her other hand and started massaging them gently, adding a whole new layer of sensation to an already overwhelmingly ecstatic experience. This is it, he thought. This must be the absolute summum of sensual pleasure. The next moment, even that thought was extinguished as he surrendered himself entirely to the feeling of it. He wanted it to last, but he knew perfectly well he wouldn't be able to bear it much longer, so he reveled in every second he could get before it was over. _Oh_, the things she did with her tongue were driving him mad!

He could feel the tension inside him start to build – fast. He pulled himself together just enough to gasp:

"Raquel, I won't last much longer."

He expected her to pull back, and he silently swore his undying love for her when she didn't. A tingling was starting up in his lower stomach, and he gripped the sheets so tightly his knuckles whitened, every muscle in his body tensed.

"Don't stop", he whispered. "Please don't stop."

She didn't, and all at once the orgasm broke over him, making him cry out sharply as a delicious fire spread through his entire body, lighting him up from the inside, taking his breath away. Wave after wave of pleasure swept through him, each an infinite moment of utter delight, and the only thought in his mind was _Raquel_. Then the sensation receded and he relaxed back into the pillows, panting, shaking, the skin all over his body tingling with a warm, golden afterglow.

He opened his eyes just as she drew back, and his eyes went wide as she swallowed. That was, without a doubt, the hottest thing he could imagine, and he couldn't possibly adore her more. She moved up to sit beside him with a rather satisfied smile on her face, which he felt she had earned ten times over. He could only look up at her, stunned.

"So", she said. "Thoughts?"

"I…" he tried, "that was… I mean… it felt…"

He gave up, and she laughed. "Out of words, are you?"

He nodded, smiling, and opened his arms to her. When she settled into them, he covered her face with kisses.

…

An hour later, after much cuddling and kissing and, once he regained the power of speech, offers of eternal devotion, she was idly walking around the room.

"What's underneath here?" she asked, pulling away a sheet. "Oh! A piano! Do you play?"

"I do", he said.

"Well, now you have to show me", she smiled.

He got up from the bed and settled himself behind the piano. It had been a while since he last played, but his hands took up position automatically and his fingers instinctively picked out the notes of one of his favorite tunes. She sat down next to him and when he looked up at her, her eyes were shining.

"That's very sexy", she whispered, then leaned in to kiss his cheek.

He smiled. "Good to know. I'll have to play the piano for you more often."

"Please do", she murmured, biting his earlobe and making his fingers stumble over the keys.

"Don't distract the pianist", he laughed.

"I would never", she said innocently. Then, when he transitioned into a different song: "Oh, I know this tune."

She started humming along and he looked up at her sharply. "You sing?"

"A little", she smiled.

"Now _that's _sexy. Will you sing something?"

"If you play a song I know."

"Let's find one, then."

It took them a while to find a song they both knew. Finally they settled on an old Spanish folk song that everyone in Spain seemed to just _know _from birth – neither of them remembered learning it, yet they also couldn't recall a time when they hadn't known the words. He struck up the first chords, and he was surprised when she added her voice to the music, a warm, slightly husky alto that was very pleasant to listen to. He closed his eyes and allowed his fingers to find their own way across the keys, letting the sound of her voice wash over him. She leaned against his shoulder as she sang softly, giving new life to the old words he knew so well. He suddenly realized something – sitting here with her, making music together, shoulder by shoulder, the memory of a perfect day behind them, the echo of her touch still humming through his body – he'd never been happier. The thought of the heist intruded on his thoughts for a second, a dark cloud looming on the horizon of a clear blue sky, but he pushed it away again. He didn't want to think about the future right now, about everything that might happen, everything that could go wrong. He wanted to live forever in this perfect, golden moment with her.


	22. Team

Three weeks until the heist. Sergio had been enforcing a strict bedtime schedule to keep them all fresh and focused in class, so the members of the team were all in their respective rooms – except for Rio and Tokyo, probably, but he didn't know how to stop that. For once, Sergio hadn't adhered to his own curfew, but was instead sitting in front of the fireplace with his brother, sipping wine and talking things over.

"We're on schedule", Sergio said. "I've laid out the entire plan, we can start revising it soon to make sure everyone has it memorized."

"Are you getting nervous yet?" Berlin grinned.

"A little", Sergio admitted. "I suppose you're not?"

"No", Berlin said calmly. "I have faith in the plan."

Sergio nodded. "It's a solid plan, I know it is. There's only one thing that worries me."

"What?"

"Raquel."

"You still think she's going to be a distraction to you in the control room?"

"No, I don't. In fact, I'm grateful she'll be there. I was a fool for thinking I could man the control room alone, it really is a two-man job. No, what worries me is what will happen when I leave the control room."

"What do you mean?"

"She might need to give orders when I'm not there. Will the team follow them?"

"All orders will go through me", Berlin reminded him, "and I can assure you I'll follow any commands she gives me."

"Forgive me, Andrés, but we don't know what will happen in there and you're… you're not well. You may be incapacitated at some point. The other members of the team need to be willing to follow Raquel's orders too."

"They seem to accept her, though. Well, all except Tokyo."

Sergio nodded. "Tokyo worries me. But the others, too – I agree that they've accepted her as a member of the team, but not as a superior."

Berlin raised his eyebrows at him. "How can they accept her as their superior if you treat her like a regular member of the team?"

"What do you mean?"

"You want them to see her as their leader, but you don't let her lead. She sits in class like the rest of us."

Sergio frowned. "So what should I do?"

"Organize some activities where _she _can be in charge instead of you."

"Like what?"

"She's a cop – let her teach them how to shoot properly. Moscow looks deeply uncomfortable with a gun in his hands and Denver couldn't hit an elephant."

"That's actually a good idea."

"I'm full of good ideas."

Sergio gave him an amused look. "Any other suggestions, then?"

"Put her in front of the class with you when you teach. Show everyone quite literally that she's with you, separate her physically from the rest of the group."

Sergio gave a thoughtful nod. "I'll do that. Thank you."

He drained his glass of wine and involuntarily shot a look at the stairs. He knew Raquel would be waiting for him in his bedroom. His brother followed the direction of his gaze and gave him a nod, smiling.

"You should go to her."

"No", he said quickly, "I'm talking to you."

"It's only a few more weeks until the heist, though. Like you said: we don't know what will happen then. You should enjoy the time you have left with her."

Sergio shook his head. "If everything goes well, I'll have my whole life to spend time with her. Whereas you…"

Berlin raised his hand. "We already had a lifetime together. Believe me: if something goes wrong with the operation, you'll regret every moment you didn't spend with her. Go."

Sergio hesitated, torn between the only two people he loved in the world. When he stayed seated, Berlin got up instead, grinning.

"Indecisive as usual. I'll make the decision for you, then. Goodnight, little brother."

…

Sergio lost no time implementing his brother's suggestions: the very next morning, he put Raquel in front of the class with him. She knew the plan so well by now that she was able to take over parts of the lesson from him, while he stood back and watched her. She did it so well, yet it was a deeply uncomfortable experience for him to surrender control. He supposed he should get used to it, though, since he'd have to do it in the control room as well – after all, he needed sleep like anyone else, and there would be times when he'd have to leave the hangar altogether.

In the afternoon, he set them to target practice. They stood in a long line and fired at the targets he'd provided, while Raquel went by them one by one and corrected their grip or their aim. All went well until she reached Tokyo.

"Don't hold your gun like that when you want to make a precision shot", she said, reaching out to correct Tokyo's grip.

"Back off", Tokyo snapped, pushing her hands away. "I know how to shoot a gun."

"Clearly you don't", Raquel fired back.

"I don't need _you _to tell me what to do."

Sergio stepped forward.

"Tokyo", he said sharply. "Lisbon knows what she's doing. Follow her instructions."

Tokyo shot Raquel a resentful look, but allowed her to adjust her grip. Later, however, Raquel took Sergio aside.

"I know you meant well", she said, "but you can't keep stepping in when the others question my authority. It will only weaken my position. I need to fight this battle for myself."

"I'm sorry", he said. "You're right."

"We need a situation where I'm in charge without your presence to back up my authority."

"What do you propose?"

"Send us on a short mission, just to practice, nothing dangerous."

"Like what?"

"In the police academy they sent us on droppings of multiple days. I know we don't have that kind of time, but maybe just for an afternoon?"

"What would that entail?"

"You'd take us to an unknown location away from the house and we'd have to find our own way back, no smartphones, just a map. It's great for team building."

"I don't want you or Tokyo traipsing along public roads where anyone might recognize you."

She shot him an amused look. "We just spent an entire afternoon 'traipsing' through Madrid. Weren't those public roads?"

"That's different, that was just you and me in a big city where nobody was looking at us twice. But in small villages like the ones around here, a big group of strangers on foot will draw attention."

"We'll stay away from the villages, then", she said. "Cut cross- country. That will only add to the challenge."

When he still hesitated, she insisted: "They need to get used to following my orders, Sergio. This will be the perfect opportunity."

He sighed. "Alright. I'll arrange some things and we can do the dropping on Friday."

She kissed his cheek. "Great."

…

And so it came about that, on Friday, Raquel found herself in the back of a windowless van with seven members of the team: Berlin had stayed home, pleading a headache, though Raquel strongly suspected that he just didn't like the idea of walking cross-country all afternoon. She didn't mind – Berlin wasn't the person she was worried about ignoring her orders. The van passed over an uneven patch of road and she bumped shoulders with Tokyo, who gave her an annoyed look. Raquel sighed inwardly. Now _that _one she was worried about.

Her thoughts drifted as they went along, and she couldn't help but shudder at the memory of when she'd last been in a van like this, handcuffed, desperate, on her way to jail. But then the van had stopped and the doors had opened, and the men who freed her had brought her to a new life – had brought her to Sergio. Thinking back on it, she still couldn't entirely wrap her head around how her fortunes had shifted so suddenly, so completely. From the darkest moment of her life back into the light.

The van stopped abruptly and Sergio opened the back doors, making them all squint at the bright sunlight streaming in. One by one, they got out, shading their eyes, into the simmering air of an unusually hot autumn day. Raquel put on the cap she had brought and they all turned to Sergio.

"Alright", he said. "I'm leaving you here to make your own way back to the house. Remember: stay off the roads as much as possible. Lisbon is in charge. She has a phone, but it's only to be used in case of emergency – you'll have to rely on the map to get you home. I'll see you all tonight."

He got back into the van and Raquel watched him drive away, then she turned to look at their surroundings. They were on a small road in the middle of some fields, stubbly with the remains of the harvest. There was a clump of trees a short distance away and a single house in the opposite direction. She took a deep breath and addressed the members of the team, who were all looking at her expectantly.

"First things first", she said. "We need water and we need to get out of the sun while we find our bearings."

She handed the empty water bottles they'd brought to Rio and Nairobi.

"You two go to that house and ask if you can fill these bottles. Meet us at those trees over there."

Nairobi and Rio left without comment, and Raquel led the others into the shade of the trees, where she spread out the map on the ground.

"We need to find the name of this road", she concluded. "Helsinki and Denver – go right and walk along the road until you find a street name or a signpost to the nearest village. Preferably both."

"That doesn't make any sense", Tokyo argued. "They should go in opposite directions, that way there will be a better chance of them finding something sooner."

Raquel shook her head. "No. If one person finds something, we have no way of alerting the other person to come back, so we'd still have to wait for him."

"We could send someone running after him", Tokyo argued.

"We're doing it my way, Tokyo", Raquel said shortly, acutely aware that the others were paying close attention to their argument.

"But…"

"This decision is not up for discussion", Raquel snapped, then turned to Helsinki and Denver. "Go right, both of you."

To her relief, they went off without questioning her, and Tokyo walked a few paces away from her and sat down on the ground with a sulky expression. Raquel sat down next to Moscow, who gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Don't let her get to you", he said quietly.

Raquel smiled back. "I won't, but thank you."

"You certainly seem to know what you're doing."

"We did a lot of droppings at the police academy."

"Then I'm sure you'll lead us home very capably."

"If only Tokyo had as much faith in me as you do." She shook her head. "I wish I could get everyone to trust me, Moscow. They don't have to like me, but it's important that we all trust each other once the operation starts."

"We trust you", he said quietly.

"You didn't a few weeks ago when I didn't return from grocery shopping because of the car breaking down."

"Those were unusually suspicious circumstances, though. We were just being careful. Afterwards, when things calmed down, we all realized we'd been very wrong to distrust you."

"Except for Tokyo", Raquel said bitterly. "She still doesn't trust me at all."

"It will be different during the operation. Once we're on the ground and our lives depend on you and the Professor in the control room, I'm sure she'll come around."

Raquel sighed. "I hope so."

He gave her a thoughtful look. "You're a good person. You care about the operation and you care about the team. Sooner or later, she'll realize that."

She was touched. She liked Moscow, and his good opinion meant a lot to her.

She reached out and put a hand on his arm for a moment. "Thank you."

He gave her a gentle smile and patted her hand. "I like you, Lisbon. You keep a steady head. I'm glad you'll be in the control room with the Professor."

Rio and Nairobi returned with the water and a little later Denver and Helsinki returned with the name of the street they were on, and from there Raquel quickly found where they were on the map, give or take a few hundred yards. They all set out, Raquel in front and the team behind her, talking and laughing. It wasn't easy going across the uneven fields, though, and soon they were all sweating in the hot sun.

"It's so fucking hot", Denver said plaintively for the hundredth time, wiping the sweat out of his eyes.

"I thought you wanted to go live on a tropical island after this was all done, Denver", Nairobi laughed. "It's going to be much hotter there, so you'd better get used to it."

"When I'm on my tropical island, I'm not going to be tramping through the fields, though", Denver retorted. "I'm going to lie on my backside on the beach and drink piña coladas."

"I can't wait to go to my island", Rio said dreamily. "Just lie in a hammock and take naps in the middle of the day."

"Yes", Tokyo supplied, "so we can go partying all night."

"Are you looking forward to partying too, Moscow?" Nairobi said, elbowing him amicably in the side.

Moscow smiled. "I'm just looking forward to a quiet retirement."

Behind him, Helsinki nodded. "Never having to shoot a gun again. Living the good life."

Raquel said nothing. Life hadn't been particularly kind to her lately, and she wasn't going to tempt fate by day-dreaming about their idyllic lives after the heist. One day at a time, she kept telling herself. One day at a time.

There were frequent stops to consult the map, which was made harder by the fact that they weren't using the roads. Everybody had an opinion about what direction they should take, and there were some heated debates, but Raquel made the final decisions. Once, though, the entire group insisted they should go left when her gut told her they should go right, and she let herself be persuaded. After a difficult trek through a patch of forest with thick undergrowth, they came to a village that told them they had gone in entirely the wrong direction. Raquel quietly turned around to head back, but Tokyo walked up to her angrily.

"I thought you knew what you were doing? Now we have to go through that forest again and I'm sick and tired of getting stung by nettles."

"It's our own fault, Tokyo", Nairobi said. "We were the ones who persuaded her to go left after the last stop."

"No", Raquel said calmly. "She's right. I'm in charge, this is my responsibility."

"You shouldn't be in charge if you don't know what you're doing", Tokyo said acidly, then fell back to her usual position at the back of the group. From that point onwards, Tokyo argued with every decision Raquel made, and after a while it really began to piss her off. The others accepted her leadership without question though, and all in all, they were working together rather smoothly as they made their way, slowly but steadily, back in the direction of the house.

By the time that it was getting dark, however, everyone was tired and hungry. They hadn't brought any food, because Raquel had expected to be back by the house by dinnertime, but moving through the fields and patches of forest was rather slower going than she had anticipated. When they passed close by a village, Tokyo stopped.

"Let's go get some food."

"We don't have any money", Raquel pointed out.

"So? I can sneak some things out of a supermarket."

"We're not shoplifting", Raquel said firmly. "Nobody's taking a risk like that this close to the operation."

"But we're all hungry", Tokyo complained.

"Then let's stop this pointless arguing and get back to the house so we can eat."

There were nods of agreement all around, and they moved off the road again into another patch of forest, Tokyo at the back of the group. A few minutes later, however, Raquel heard Rio call out.

"Lisbon! Tokyo's gone!"

She turned back sharply. "What?"

"She was right behind me a moment ago, but now she's gone!"

"But… where?"

"Knowing Tokyo", Moscow said tiredly, "she's probably gone into the village anyway."

Raquel cursed heatedly. "Alright, let's turn back. Quickly!"

They all hurried back the way they came, and when they stepped out of the trees, they were just in time to see Tokyo walk into the village in the distance and disappear between the houses.

Raquel stared after her, astonished that Tokyo would go to such lengths just to spite her. They had a quick argument about what to do, then Raquel took them to the edge of the village, where they peered down the street. There were several small shops that Tokyo might have gone into, but they had no way of knowing which. Raquel was just instructing them to each check a different shop, when a police car came tearing out of a side street with its lights on. It stopped in front of one of the shops and a police officer stepped out and went inside.

"She's been caught", Rio said with a stricken look. "If they take her to a police station she'll be recognized for sure!"

They all turned to look at Raquel, who was thinking fast. There was no time to call Sergio – in a few minutes, Tokyo would be at the local police station and her fingerprints would reveal her identity. She would be questioned… and then who knew what she might say?

"Lisbon!" Nairobi said urgently, pointing at the store, where the cop was leading out Tokyo in handcuffs. "What do we do?"

Raquel swallowed hard. There was only one thing for it.

She grabbed Rio by the arm and gave him some quick instructions, then she took a deep breath, stood up straight, pulled her shoulders back, and walked straight towards the cop before she could think it through and change her mind. She was counting on something she'd observed so often in witnesses: the inability of most people to recognize faces outside of their usual context. The police officer was pushing Tokyo into the back seat as she reached him, and to her relief she saw that he was just a kid, not much older than Rio. A rookie. She cleared her throat.

"Everything alright, constable?"

He turned and gave her a confused look. "Yes, ma'am. Uhm…?"

"Chief Inspector González", she introduced herself. "Madrid, second district. I'm on holiday here. I was just passing by."

She shot a look at Tokyo in the car, and the cop clarified: "Just a shoplifter." Then he gave her a closer look. "Do I know you from somewhere? You seem familiar."

Exactly as she'd expected – he recognized her but didn't know from where. Now she just had to suggest a plausible explanation to him before he could think about it too hard.

Her heart was racing, but she kept a carefully neutral expression. "Yes, you look familiar too. What station were you in before this one?"

"Madrid fourth district, patrol duties, for a year. Until three weeks ago, when I was transferred to this backwater."

She nodded. "Yes, I was at the fourth until about a year ago. Vice. Our paths must have crossed just as I was leaving there."

"Vice, huh? So you were stationed under Inspector Gómez?"

She gave him a mild smile. "Gómez was stationed under _me_."

The kid looked impressed. Right on cue, Rio came running up, panting.

"Sir! The supermarket around the corner was robbed! They're asking if you can come quickly."

"Another robbery?" the cop said, flustered.

"Must be a gang", Raquel said.

The cop frowned. He shot a look from Tokyo in the car to Rio, clearly suspicious that the situation was exactly what it was: that Rio was there to create a distraction and bust out Tokyo.

"Please sir!" Rio said. "Someone's hurt!"

"Alright", the cop nodded. "But you're coming with me."

Rio shook his head. "I can't, I have to get home."

He scampered off, and the young police officer was clearly torn, looking from the direction Rio had disappeared in to the direction of the supermarket. Then he shot an uncertain look at Raquel, who nodded at him.

"Go. I'll stay here to keep an eye on this one."

The kid shot her a grateful look. "Thanks."

Raquel heaved a sigh of relief as he pushed a button to lock the car and started to go, but after only a few paces he turned back to her and she tensed again.

"That guy might come back though, to try and free the girl."

"Don't worry about it", she said. "I can handle him."

The cop shook his head. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you here without a way to defend yourself."

He took the baton off his belt and handed it to an astonished Raquel.

"Thanks", she said, and the kid nodded at her and hurried off.

Raquel waited until he disappeared around the corner, then turned to the car and, without a second's hesitation, smashed the baton through the driver's window. Then she reached in, pressed the button that would unlock all the doors, opened Tokyo's door and pulled her out by the scruff of her neck.

"You _idiot _girl", she hissed. "You absolute _imbecile_. Now _run_!"

The two of them ran out of the village as fast as they could, picking up Rio around the corner, who laughed and whooped at the sight of Tokyo. The others were anxiously waiting for them at the edge of the houses.

"Let's go!" Raquel yelled as she ran past, and they dove straight into the woods at the side of the road.

She didn't allow them to stop running until they were quite a way into the forest, then she halted and they all stopped, panting.

"I can't believe you did that", Denver said, staring at Raquel.

Raquel grimaced. "What was I supposed to do? Let him take her?"

"But you could have been recognized!" Nairobi said. "Your face was all over the news when you escaped."

"It's dark and I'm wearing a hat. Also, it's been four months since I escaped from that prison van and the police were looking for me."

"Still", Moscow said, shaking his head. "You took quite a risk."

"It had to be done", Raquel said. Then she turned to Tokyo. "And _you_! If you ever disobey orders again, I will not hesitate for a _second _to kick you off the team! This is _not _a fucking game, Tokyo, I am your superior and all of your lives will depend on you following my commands. Fuck with me again and you are _out_! _Do I make myself clear?_"

Tokyo gave her a defiant look, and for a long moment, they stared each other down. Then Tokyo lowered her eyes. "Yes."

Raquel felt a fierce rush of satisfaction. "Good. Now let's get the _fuck _back to the house."

…

"You should have seen her, Professor", Rio said enthusiastically. "She was so cool about it. She didn't hesitate or anything."

They were sitting around the dinner table, hungrily eating the pasta Berlin had cooked, and telling Sergio all about their adventure – all except Tokyo, who was staying remarkably quiet.

"Yes", Nairobi chipped in. "She walked straight up to that cop like it was nothing."

"I wouldn't have known what to do", Denver said, "but Lisbon came up with a plan like _that_." He snapped his fingers.

"She's a quick thinker", Moscow added appreciatively. "And she certainly saved Tokyo from a one-way trip to jail."

Raquel wished they'd just shut up. Sergio was listening to the story with a carefully neutral expression, but she could see that it was costing him a lot of effort, and beneath his calm exterior, she could feel a storm brewing. When they had walked up to the house, Raquel had considered asking the others not to talk about what happened in the village, but she felt that she couldn't very well ask them to lie just to save her a fight with her boyfriend. Now she had a fun conversation to look forward to after dinner. She realized very well that his quick mind had probably already figured out all the ways in which the scenario with the cop could have played out differently, ending with her and Tokyo both in jail.

The others didn't pick up on Sergio's mood, however, and the atmosphere around the table was one of celebration, of elation that everything had turned out so well, that one of their own had outsmarted the cops. _That's something, at least,_ Raquel thought. _Nobody's going to doubt my loyalties anymore after this._ She was well and truly one of them now, and she basked in the warm feeling of acceptance she felt emanating from the group.

Tokyo quietly disappeared upstairs right after dinner, with Sergio following her soon afterwards, and Raquel assumed that Tokyo was in for a rough ten minutes. Good, she deserved it. Raquel stayed at the table a little longer after she heard his bedroom door close, letting him cool off, gathering her strength for her own rough ten minutes, for the fight she had known she was going to have from the moment she walked up to that cop. She understood why he was angry, but she was very tired and she wished they could just have this fight tomorrow. Finally she decided she should just get it over with, so she took a deep breath, wished everyone a good night, and went up the stairs.

Tokyo was waiting for her in the hallway, the very last person she wanted to see right now.

"What?" Raquel said coldly.

Tokyo gave her a thoughtful look. "You took a big risk out there. That cop could have recognized you and then you would have gone to jail."

Raquel nodded, silent.

Tokyo seemed to struggle with herself for a moment. "Why did you do it? You could have let him take me in. You didn't need to put yourself in danger."

"Yes, I did. We're a team."

"I wouldn't have done it for you."

Raquel gave the girl a long look. "Well, then that's the difference between you and me, Tokyo."

She started to turn around, but Tokyo spoke again. "I was wrong about you."

Raquel turned back.

"I didn't trust you, but you risked everything for me tonight." She hesitated for a moment, then said: "That was a pretty badass thing to do."

And she turned around and quickly walked to her room. Raquel watched her go and realized that this was the closest thing to an apology or a 'thank you' that she would ever get from Tokyo. She smiled to herself. It was enough.

Then she turned to the door of Sergio's bedroom, steeled herself, and walked in. He was standing by the window, looking out into the night, his arms crossed. When she closed the door behind herself, he turned and gave her a look of cold anger.

"What were you _thinking_, Raquel?"

She refused to get angry in return.

"I wasn't thinking", she defended herself calmly. "That's the point: there was no time to think. I made a snap decision, and I don't regret it."

"Do you have any idea of the _risk_ you took?"

She raised her chin defiantly. "I'm not apologizing for doing what needed to be done, Sergio. I had to get Tokyo out of there, I thought you'd agree with that."

He gave her a look of horror. "You think I'd want you to sacrifice yourself for _Tokyo_? What do I care about Tokyo, compared to you?"

"You're not thinking straight", she said firmly. "If she'd been taken in, who knows what she might have confessed to get a reduction on her sentence?"

"You think she'd have betrayed us?"

"I'm saying it's not impossible."

"What about Rio? Do you think she'd betray him too?"

"Honestly Sergio, who knows what Tokyo thinks or feels? She may be in love with this boy or she may just be fucking him, and I wasn't going to risk the operation on the mere chance that it's the first option."

"Still, you were _damn_ lucky it turned out the way it did! This could have gone so wrong!"

"But it didn't", she said reasonably. "Please don't get so upset over something that didn't even happen."

"I'm not allowed to get upset?" he said heatedly. "Raquel, have you even _considered_ what could have happened? If that cop had recognized you, you would have been arrested! You would have gone to _jail_, and I would never have seen you again! I didn't… I didn't even kiss you goodbye!"

His voice broke, and he took a shaking breath. She quickly crossed the room and he opened his arms to her, then held her so tightly it hurt. She didn't say anything, however – he needed this. She just held him in return, leaning her head against his chest.

After several long moments, he whispered: "Raquel… what would I do if something happened you?"

She pulled back to look at him, reaching up a hand to stroke his cheek and saying gently: "I'm okay though. You worry too much."

He took her hand and kissed it – her palm, her fingers, her wrist – and she was reminded once again how deeply he seemed to feel things. It was so easy to forget that in day-to-day life, when he presented such a cool and detached façade to the world, and often even to her. But when he let his guard down and looked at her like he did now… nobody had ever looked at her like that before.

He bent his head and pressed his lips to hers, and she felt her body respond to him the way it always did: instantly and with boundless enthusiasm. She'd had her share of sexual partners in the past, and she knew that some people were simply more compatible in bed than others, but she'd never felt anything like _this_. The first time he'd kissed her had been such a surprise to her – the thrill of it, the breathtaking intensity of the desire he woke in her. Theirs was a compatibility on a level far beyond anything she'd ever experienced before, a connection that went so much deeper than the physical, but that reflected on it as well, and made the experience so much richer. It wasn't that he was more skilled than the other men she'd slept with – though he was learning quickly – but simply that he made her _feel_ so much more. She couldn't explain it. She only knew that, at forty, he was making her feel like a hormonal teenager and she simply couldn't get enough of him.

He was kissing her more deeply now, one hand in her hair and the other on her back, pressing her close to him, and she felt the familiar tingle between her legs that his kisses never failed to elicit. She kissed him back hungrily and started undoing his tie, pushed his jacket off his shoulders, unbuttoned his shirt, at which point, to her delight, he lifted her off the floor and carried her to the bed. He lay her down carefully and joined her, kissing her throat while letting his hand roam down her body – over her breasts, down her stomach, between her thighs – until she simply couldn't stand it anymore. She started unbuttoning her own shirt, but he pulled her hand away and took over, making his way down slowly, button by button, kissing every inch of bared skin along the way. She was still getting used to the way he treated her body – not like it was something to possess, something that existed to give him pleasure, but like every inch of it was precious to him, like he was discovering it all over again every time they made love, and every time he seemed delighted by what he found. He made her feel so beautiful.

He didn't allow her to take off a single item of her own clothing, gently but firmly pushing her hands away and undressing her with that quiet confidence he had developed over the past few weeks. She couldn't help but smile as she thought back on their first time, in the fake workplace, how nervous and careful he'd been, asking for her consent at every step. It had been exactly what she needed, after Alberto. Even now that he was getting more confident – which she loved – he was never rough with her, never demanding, never taking more than she was willing to give. As he ran his hands over her naked body, she realized how safe she felt with him, how attentive he was, always putting her needs first, always making sure she was comfortable in every way. But he could make her shiver, too. In just a few weeks, he had uncovered all the secrets of her body, and she sighed as he unfailingly found her most sensitive spots, playing her expertly with his fingers, pressing his warm mouth against her skin until she gasped, until she trembled, until she ached for more.

"Sergio", she whispered. "I want you."

"Not yet", he murmured, then closed his mouth over a nipple and sucked, making her moan as the fire between her legs flared higher and higher until her longing for him became almost unbearable. He switched to her other nipple and reached down a hand to stroke the inside of her thighs, coming so close but never quite touching her, driving her to distraction. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore – she took his hand and pressed it against her, and he looked up with a smile.

"Always so impatient" he said softly, moving up to kiss her, and she shuddered as his fingers merely brushed against her.

"Yes", she groaned. "Will you _hurry up_, I can't stand this."

She'd never been with a man who liked to take his time with her as much as he did, and she loved it as much as it pushed the very limits of her patience.

"Hmm", he murmured. "Let me see what I can do."

She whimpered softly as he slipped one finger inside of her – that made her hunger for him so much worse, teasing what was to come without satisfying her in the slightest. She grabbed his hair and gave him a threatening look, and he chuckled softly and slipped in a second finger, making her sigh.

"You're so wet", he whispered in her ear, and she gasped as he added a third finger and pushed in deeply. She closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure, but it still wasn't what she craved so desperately – his body on hers and his arms around her as he buried himself deep inside her.

"_Sergio_", she moaned, and this time he obliged her, pulling back his fingers and settling himself between her thighs, and she sighed as he covered her body with his, loving the solid warmth of him in her arms, the delight of lying skin to skin. He didn't move for a moment, and when she opened her eyes he was looking down at her with a softness that struck an answering chord deep inside her, making her reach up a hand and gently pull his head down for a kiss. It kept surprising her, this sweetness in him, that he was capable of such tenderness. She'd had a lot of good sex in her life – great sex, even – but until she met him, she'd had very little experience with tender sex. Perhaps, she reflected, she'd always chosen the wrong men. Until now.

He kept kissing her as he entered her, and she moaned against his lips at the bliss of feeling him fill her up inch by inch. She loved having him inside her, and she loved it even more when he started taking her with slow, deliberate strokes, pushing in deep each time. She closed her eyes and held him tight, reveling in the sensation, lifting her knees so he could take her even deeper, making her sigh with every thrust. He picked up the pace and soon they were both breathing fast, their bodies moving in perfect synchronicity, and she felt the familiar pressure inside her begin to build. She knew it wouldn't lead to an orgasm in this position, but she wasn't worried – he'd never left her disappointed yet. Suddenly he gasped and tensed, and she held him close and stroked the back of his neck as he shuddered his release.

He remained motionless for a few moments to catch his breath, then he looked up at her with a smile and kissed her, first on the lips and then along her neck, over her chest, down her stomach. She smiled broadly in anticipation as he settled himself comfortably between her thighs – she loved how generous he was in bed, never satisfied until she was satisfied, sometimes making her come more times in a week than she used to come in a month. In the past, she'd often had trouble reaching orgasm, but it all felt so right with him, and he had such a startlingly intense effect on her body that he barely had to touch her to set her off… again… and again… and again. She settled herself deeper in the pillows and sighed with pleasure as he pressed his mouth against her and began exploring her with his tongue, long, broad strokes interspersed with teasingly light ones until she was squirming to feel him where she wanted him most.

Finally he settled in the right spot, and she moaned as he set to work in earnest. She'd already been halfway there, so it didn't take long before she felt a delicious tingle start up in her core, making her tilt her hips as she tangled her fingers in the sheets.

"Yes", she breathed, her voice strained. "Yes, just like that. Oh, yes, yes, _yes_!"

She gasped loudly as the wave inside her suddenly crested and broke, making her shake uncontrollably as the feeling rushed through her with an intensity that took her breath away. She threw her head back and moaned and moaned as the sensation just kept going – he eased off ever so gradually, drawing out her pleasure for as long as she could bear. Finally he pulled back, but he didn't come up, and kept her tingling with little soft licks as she caught her breath. She wasn't surprised – he was rarely satisfied with making her come just once. _Not_ that she minded.

After a few moments, he moved up again and immediately had her gasping. She was so sensitive now, and his tongue felt so, _so_ good against her. A moment later, he added another delicious sensation to her experience as he pressed into her with two fingers, and she moaned as he curled them upwards and hit just the right spot. Soon, her breathing was fast and uneven again, her back arched, her hands tightly gripping the sheets. He picked up the pace slightly, and that was all it took to bring her to the edge – she tensed, every muscle taut, then started trembling as the feeling crashed over her a second time with a tingling she felt down to her toes, and she rose up on her elbows with a soft cry as wave after wave of pleasure rushed through her. After several endless, ecstatic moments, she pushed his head away and fell back into the pillows, shaking, her breath coming in sobs. When he moved up to take her into his arms, she buried her face against his chest and held on tight to him as he gently stroked her back.

After she'd recovered, she looked up and kissed him.

"That was amazing", she whispered, and he gave her a pleased smile and bent down to kiss her again, a long, slow kiss that they both sank into.

Finally he pulled back and gave her a serious look.

"I'm sorry about how I reacted earlier", he said quietly. "I shouldn't have gotten angry at you."

"It's alright", she said. She was pretty willing to forgive him at this point.

He shook his head, however. "No, it's not. You did such an amazing thing today."

She looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really", he said. "You were brave and clever and selfless, and you've earned everyone's respect, including Tokyo's. I'm… I'm proud of you."

She felt a warm glow at hearing him say that and hugged him close. He tightened his arms around her in return and buried his face in her hair.

Then he whispered: "But please never do anything like this again."

"I won't", she assured him. "Next time Tokyo gets herself arrested, she's on her own."

"It's just…" he said, "it took me forty years to find you, Raquel. I can't stand the thought of losing you now."

She thought about the heist, coming closer every day, dangerous and unpredictable. There was no way of knowing how things would end. One day at a time, she warned herself. One day at a time. Yet here in his arms, she felt strong enough to tempt fate, just this once.

"You're not going to lose me", she said. "It's you and me, my love. Always, you and me."

"Yes", he whispered, holding her close. "Always."


	23. Apart

**Hello everyone! A quick announcement before the chapter: I started a simple little forum for LCDP fans. You can find it here: **

**I know forums are a little old-fashioned these days XD Most of fandom takes place in social media and in WhatsApp groups, but I've noticed that that isn't always the best way to have thoughtful discussions. The pace is very fast, and if you don't check in often, it's easy to miss things. So use the forum for a less chaotic experience, with a slower pace and an easy overview of what everyone has said. I think it will be especially nice for theorizing about S4 once the trailer comes out, and discussion and analysis of S4 once it airs. Come check it out and join us if you want! **

**I also want to thank everyone who's left a review so far (or even multiple!). It means so much, so really: a heartfelt THANK YOU!**

Sergio put down his phone with a deep frown.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You know how we're supposed to leave Europe on a ship, after the heist?"

"From a small town near Porto, yes."

"Well, the captain just called me and told me our deal is off."

She grimaced. "Damn. Why?"

"He says he's thought it over and the risk is too big. I think I may still be able to change his mind, however."

"How?"

"By offering him more money, of course. The problem is that he's going to want part of it beforehand, in case the heist goes wrong and he should get nothing. He'll want it in cash, too."

"Do you have an associate nearby that you can send to him?"

"Nobody I'd trust with that kind of money." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I think I'd better drive down there myself to try and persuade him. This is too important."

"Are you seriously going to drive all the way to Porto? Couldn't you use a fake passport and take a plane?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure the people at customs won't question why I have twenty thousand euros in my carry-on."

"Alright, good point. When would you go?"

"Right now." He picked up his phone. "It's a six hour drive. If I leave now, I could get there by seven."

She frowned. "You can't drive six hours by yourself, Sergio, that's not safe. Take me with you."

He shook his head. "Believe me, I'd like nothing better than a second driver and a little company, but I need you here. There's only two weeks left until the heist, and I won't be back until tomorrow afternoon. We can't afford to miss any more classes at his point. Would you mind taking over teaching from me this afternoon and tomorrow morning?"

Her eyes lit up. "Really? You think I could do that?"

"Of course", he nodded. "You know the plan as well as I do, and it's only revision now anyway."

"I'll try my best", she said.

He kissed her. "I have complete faith in you."

…

He set out on the long drive to Porto with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. It was essential that he secure their passage on a ship out of Europe before the heist started. It had taken him months of careful inquiries and bargaining to find this captain – if he backed out now, it could create some serious problems. The drive went smoothly, and he took care to stop at regular intervals so he wouldn't exhaust himself, but he was still very tired when he finally arrived at the small harbor town where the captain lived. He lost no time going to the man's house, but his heart sank when he got there and saw that the windows were all dark. He rang the doorbell, but nobody answered – clearly the captain was out tonight. When he called him, all he got was a generic voicemail message.

Cursing softly, he got back in the car and drove the twenty minutes to Porto itself, where he knew a small but clean hotel that would probably be able to take him last minute. He checked in, then took his bag up to the tiny room and let himself fall onto the bed, his mind already formulating a plan: he'd talk to the captain tomorrow morning and still get back to the house by dinnertime. He called Raquel to let her know she'd have to teach in the afternoon, too.

"Why didn't you call ahead and let the captain know you were coming?" she asked him.

"He would have told me not to come", he said. "He said he'd made up his mind. Better to confront him face to face with a bag of cash."

"Yes, that might sway him."

"How did teaching go this afternoon?"

"Good, I think."

"Did Tokyo give you any trouble?"

He heard the smile in her voice. "No, Tokyo has been remarkably well-behaved since I busted her out of that police car."

"As she should be", he said firmly.

They talked for a few more minutes, then she said:

"Go to bed, Sergio. You sound exhausted and you need to be rested if you're going to drive all the way back tomorrow."

"You're right", he said, suppressing a yawn. "I'll call you tomorrow after I've talked to the captain. Goodnight, Raquel."

"Goodnight, my love."

His vision was hazy with tiredness as he got into his pajamas and then between the sheets. He fell asleep instantly.

In the early hours of the morning, he awoke suddenly with the feeling that something was very, _very _wrong. He sat up, his entire body alert, and automatically reached out a hand to the place beside him – then he realized what was wrong… she wasn't sleeping next to him. He let himself fall back into the pillows with a sigh. He'd been so exhausted when he fell asleep that he hadn't really been aware of anything anymore, but now he was wide awake and faintly but insistently uncomfortable. They hadn't spent a single night apart since they'd first started sleeping together, and lying in this bed alone was just deeply _weird_. He wondered how he'd gotten used to it so fast, in just a few short weeks, after having slept alone all of his life. He tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, but it was a long time before he managed to go back to sleep.

…

The next morning, he went to the captain's house and rang the doorbell. When there was no answer, he tried calling him again. This time, the captain picked up.

"Salva? What do you want?"

"To talk to you. I'm in Porto."

"You shouldn't have come, I told you I've made up my mind."

"Please talk to me anyway, I came all this way."

"I'm visiting a friend in Lisbon right now, but I'll be back tonight. I can meet you in Porto for dinner at eight."

They arranged a place to meet, then Sergio hung up and drove back to his hotel. He didn't like this at all – this would mean he'd have to spend another night in Porto. He called Raquel to explain, assured her that he'd drive back at dawn the next day, then wondered what he'd do until eight. He hadn't brought anything to work on, since he hadn't thought he'd need to kill time. He went out and wandered the streets of the city for a while, until he stumbled on a tiny, dusty second-hand bookshop and decided to go in and buy something to read. He browsed the messy stacks for a while until a familiar cover struck him: a collection of poems by Pablo Neruda.

He took the book off the shelf and ran his fingers tenderly over the spine. This book – this exact same edition – was one of the few things he had of his mother. He'd leafed through the pages so often that it was almost falling apart, so he hadn't taken it with him to the house in Toledo, instead choosing to keep it in a safe location, meaning that it had been six months since he'd last read it. On a whim, he decided to buy this one and take it back to his hotel.

At eight o'clock sharp, he was at the agreed upon restaurant, waiting for the captain. The man arrived at ten past eight and they shook hands and went inside.

"I'm sorry you came here for nothing, Salva", the captain said once they were seated.

"Don't say that, Pedro. Please listen to my proposal, at least."

Pedro shook his head. "I told you, I can't do it anymore. For your safety as much as mine."

"What do you mean?"

The man heaved a heavy sigh. "The police have been sniffing around me, Salva. A friend of mine on the force has told me that they're keeping an eye on me – and they'll probably continue doing so for several more months. I don't know exactly what you're planning to do, but I'm guessing you won't want to leave Europe on my ship if the cops are monitoring it."

Sergio cursed inwardly. "No. You're right."

"But I'll tell you what. I can call a friend of mine and see if he'd be willing to help you – for the right price, of course."

"Of course."

The captain went outside to make the call. After a few minutes, he was back at the table.

"He's willing to consider it, but he wants to meet you face to face and he wants advance payment in cash."

Sergio nodded. "Alright. When can I meet him?"

"He's out at sea right now. He'll be back the day after tomorrow."

Sergio winced. That meant he'd have to stay in Porto for two more days – he couldn't very well drive back home tomorrow only to have to make the same trip again the next day. There was nothing for it, however. They needed their ship.

…

"So you're staying in Porto for two more nights?" she said, sounding dismayed.

"Three", he said apologetically. "I won't be able to meet the captain until late at night the day after tomorrow, so I won't be able to drive back afterwards."

"That's a long time", she said softly.

"I'm sorry", he said. "Are you okay teaching for so long?"

"Oh yes, that's not the problem", she said quickly. "It's just…"

"What?"

"God", she said, "I'm embarrassed to say it. It's just that I… I missed you last night."

"I missed you too", he said quietly. "I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn't get back to sleep."

"Oh thank god", she laughed. "I thought it was just me! And I felt so ridiculous because it was only one night, but we haven't slept apart in weeks now and… I suppose I just got used to it."

"Me too."

"I thought you might be happy to have the bed to yourself for once."

"I wasn't. It wasn't pleasant at all."

"I know I steal the blankets."

He smiled. "That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

"Call me tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight."

That evening, he tossed and turned in his bed, unable to fall asleep. He just _missed _her next to him: the shape of her, her warmth, the way she draped a sleepy arm over his chest before she fell asleep or curled up against his back in the middle of the night. He'd fallen asleep every night to the calming rhythm of her breathing and now the silence was deafening. The empty space next to him was deeply unsettling, and he kept waking up throughout the night with the feeling that something was missing – something important, something he couldn't afford to lose. Finally he gave up sleeping and watched the pink light of dawn creep in through his window, wondering if she was awake too, and if she was thinking about him.

…

That day, he had nothing to do, so he spent a large portion of the day just roving aimlessly through the city, trying to leave behind the worry he felt about not being with his team this close to the start of the heist. But beside that worry, there was another thing tugging at him: he couldn't stop thinking about her. They hadn't been apart for any length of time since they'd gotten together, and he hadn't been aware of how much she had seeped into him, how deeply he'd become enmeshed with her, how she'd become part of the very fabric of his being. But he noticed it now, acutely, in the constant, raw feeling of incompleteness that made him unable to focus on anything else. He walked the streets without taking in any of the sights of the city. He stopped to eat, only to realize after the meal that he hadn't tasted a single bite.

Finally he went back to his hotel and opened the copy of Neruda's poems that he'd bought yesterday. His mother had clearly loved these poems – in his own copy, there were copious markings and underlinings from her hand. He'd read the book so often that, even in this unmarked copy, he knew exactly which passages she'd marked. He knew the poems must have carried a deep significance for her, but it had always eluded him – night after night, as a teenager, as an adult, he'd pored over Neruda's words, yet they refused to yield their true meaning to him. They were just words to him, flat, empty, lifeless. He'd always wondered what his mother had seen in them that he simply couldn't.

He didn't expect the poems to reveal their secrets to him now, either, but he greeted them as old friends, soothed by the familiarity of their imagery and cadence. He flipped through the pages at random, skimming one poem after another, not really paying attention. Then, his eyes opened wide as a passage suddenly struck him with unexpected force.

_I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair__  
__Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets__  
__Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day__  
__I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps._

He stared at it. He knew this passage so intimately, but it suddenly seemed to him like he was reading it for the first time, because, for the first time, he recognized himself in those words. How was this possible – how had Neruda captured the experience of his day with such simple clarity? Excited, he leafed through to another passage, and another, and another, really paying attention to them this time, seeing if other parts of the book would also hold a new significance to him.

They did. It was like a lifelong fog had lifted and the words suddenly revealed their meaning to him, clear and smooth and true. With trembling hands, he sought out the passage that, in his own copy, his mother had underlined so much that her pencil had broken through the paper. He wondered if he would finally, _finally _be able to grasp why.

"_I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close."_

Yes – _yes _– he knew what that felt like. The feeling of her hand on his chest until she seemed to melt into him, until he could no longer tell where he ended and she began. This love that had seemed to come out of nowhere, inexplicable, just _there_. A love so complete that it seemed to erase the boundaries of personhood.

He wondered if his mother had loved his father like this, with the same sort of love that he felt for Raquel. God, he hoped so. He hoped it so fervently, that's she'd known that kind of love before she died, that she'd experienced the heartbreaking beauty of it, the burning intensity, the softness. He felt a new closeness to her now, knowing they shared this, and he started to get an inkling of why people liked to read poetry: to see the universality of their experiences affirmed, to have that moment of intimate recognition of the self in the other, to connect to others across space and time and even death. He stayed reading deep into the night.

…

When the new captain called him the next day and told him that he'd hit some bad weather and would be delayed another two days, he wanted to cry with frustration. The heist was only ten days away now, and he wanted – he _needed_ – to be in Toledo with his team, with _her_. He felt a tight, hot sense of panic constricting his chest when he thought about the heist coming closer and closer while he wasn't where he needed to be – in control of the situation. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that Raquel was there, and that he trusted her. He knew she would be steering the team capably through the last of the preparations. When he called her to deliver the bad news, however, he heard his own dismay echoed in her voice.

"_Another _two days?"

"I know, I'm sorry. Will you be okay with the team?"

"Yes, we're fine, we're steadily reviewing the plan. But Sergio… I don't want to sound clingy, but I _miss _you. I miss you like crazy."

His heart lifted, hearing her say that. "I know. I miss you too."

"I hate that we have to spend this time apart so close to the heist."

He knew what she meant: what little time they had left together – the only time that was still guaranteed to them, since nothing was certain once the heist began.

"I hate it too", he said softly.

They talked for a long time, both unwilling to hang up and break what little connection they had.

Falling asleep that night seemed impossible. Missing her had turned into something that felt alarmingly like withdrawal – his entire body ached, physically ached, with the need to hold her. He told himself he was being ridiculous, that a person couldn't _possibly _feel so bad because of the simple fact of someone's absence, yet here he was. To try and distract himself, he started thinking about the heist, but as the night progressed, his thoughts turned increasingly darker.

Watching two am come and go, he was slowly filled with a deep, chilling sense of dread. He'd always known that there were three possible outcomes of the heist: he'd been hoping for success, resigned to death, but he'd never given that much thought to the third option. Now, however, it rose up before him like a specter. Prison. A life sentence, most likely. It hadn't worried him too much before – he hadn't seen much difference between a largely empty and ascetic life between the walls of his apartment or in a prison cell. But that had been _before_. Now, prison meant something else entirely: it meant loss, it meant separation, it meant living without her, and the thought of it made his stomach turn. This week had been just a small taste of what that would be like, and the experience had been unexpectedly harrowing. Time had gone by so slowly over the past few days, the hours of the night especially dragging their feet, and all throughout there had been this pervasive, piercing sense that the most vital part of himself was missing and he desperately needed it back. How could he possibly face the empty years without her?

He became painfully aware of the risk he was taking with the heist. It hadn't mattered before – he'd had nothing to lose. Looking back on it now, he recognized how barren his life had been, how empty, how colorless. Somehow, he realized, he'd managed to live a lifeless life, dry as old parchment. But then, miraculously, he'd been given this gift, this perfect, shining happiness that was irrevocably tied to _her _and her alone, and he felt like he was holding it in the palm of his hand, a fragile, fledgling thing that could grow into something so solid and strong if only he let it. Yet instead of protecting it, he was rushing headlong into danger, like an idiot, walking – eyes wide open! – into a situation where his newfound happiness could be snuffed out of existence in an instant. One mistake. One error. One miscalculation and she'd be gone.

And they'd had so little time together. Mere weeks. He wanted more – he wanted so much more – he wanted everything. He wanted all of her days and all of her nights, all of her smiles and her joy and her heartache too. He wanted her good days and her bad, every high and every low, every hue in the colorful kaleidoscope of her personality. He wanted her old age, too, every line and every wrinkle his to cherish. Would they ever get that? Would they ever have more than these few weeks? Or would the heist rob them of everything that could have been? He'd seen his father after his mother died – a broken man, never the same again. Was the same fate waiting for him? He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling for a long, long time, his mind filled with thoughts of love and loss.

…

When the captain's ship came into port and he was finally able to meet with the man, the actual deal was quickly made. The sight of twenty thousand euros in cash, accompanied by the promise of more, was enough to make most men forget their scruples, Sergio had found. They spent half an hour figuring out the details, then they shook hands and parted ways and he was _finally _done with the matter. Outside the café, he checked his watch – it was eight o'clock. He should go back to his hotel, have a good night's sleep, and leave for Toledo in the morning, when he was rested. On the other hand, if he left now, he would be with her in seven hours. It really wasn't much of a dilemma, he thought, as he walked back to his hotel, packed his stuff, got into his car, and drove off.

…

It was three am by the time he got to the house, but he wasn't tired at all. The thought that he was mere seconds away from holding her again made his pulse race, his entire body feeling like there was electricity running through his veins. The house was dark and silent as he quietly opened the front door and made his way up the stairs. He went straight to her room, feeling his heart in his throat, only to feel a distinct sense of disappointment when he opened her door and saw an empty bed. Where could she be, at three o'clock at night? Then he smiled and walked down the hall to his own room – and sure enough, there she was, fast asleep in his bed. He quietly closed the door behind himself and kneeled down next to the bed, drinking in the sight of her face in the moonlight. He suddenly noticed what she was wearing – it was one of his shirts, and he felt such a rush of tenderness for her that it took his breath away. He couldn't wait anymore, he had to wake her.

"Raquel", he whispered. "Raquel… wake up."

She slowly blinked open her eyes and looked at him, a soft, sleepy look.

"Sergio? Am I dreaming?"

"No", he smiled. "No, I'm really here."

"You are?"

"Yes. I drove back as soon as I could, I couldn't wait another day to see you."

She reached out a hand and touched his cheek, and he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, feeling like he could cry. Something inside him shifted, and the feeling of displacement that had been with him all week faded, to be replaced with a powerful sense of _rightness_, pure and strong and unshakable. He was back where he belonged.

He leaned forward and kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him onto the bed with her, and the relief he felt when he closed his arms around her was beyond measure.

"You're here", she kept whispering between kisses, like she needed to convince herself that it was true. "You're here, you're finally here."

She pressed herself close to him as he worked his hands underneath the shirt she was wearing, and his brain flooded with bliss at finally being able to touch her again, making him feel rather light-headed and happier than he had felt in days. The worries that had been plaguing him all week disappeared in an instant as she pulled him effortlessly into the present. Getting their clothes off was tricky, because they were unwilling to break apart for even a second, so there was a lot of fumbling and muffled laughter, and by the time they were finally naked they were both breathless and giddy with the joy of being together again. He couldn't stop smiling as he pulled her in for yet another kiss, and she was so soft and warm and lovely in his arms, the feeling of her skin against his an inexpressible delight.

He rolled her onto her side and came to lie close behind her so he could hold her, one arm beneath her head, the other tightly wrapped around her waist, their bodies connecting. She fit so perfectly in his arms. He pressed kisses to her neck and shoulder, reveling in the mere fact of her closeness, breathing in the familiar sweet scent of her skin. He would be perfectly content to just stay like this all night, to hold her and hold her and hold her and then fall asleep with her in his arms, but when she pressed her hips back against him, his body responded immediately with a desire to be even closer to her. He started stroking her slowly, first her shoulder and arm, then he ran his fingers down the side of her body, making her shiver. He cupped a breast and smiled as he felt her nipple harden against his palm. He brushed his lips against her neck as he gently squeezed it, and she sighed and pressed herself even closer to him. He loved her every mood in bed – when she was playful, when she was passionate, when she took charge – but he particularly loved it when she was like this: soft and sweet and pliant under his hands, surrendering herself to him so willingly, all smooth curves and soft sighs. He let his hand move down and she opened her legs to him, inviting him to explore further. She let out a small whimper when he touched her, and he closed his eyes at how wet she was. He would never get over the way her body reacted to him, never, not in a hundred years.

"Are you ready?" he murmured in her ear.

"Yes", she breathed, pressing her hips against him again. "God yes."

_Oh_, how he loved her enthusiasm – he wanted her so badly he could barely breathe. When he entered her, he gasped at the sudden sensation of it, so intense that it threatened to overwhelm him, and it took every ounce of restraint he had not to come at the very first thrust.

She turned her head to look at him.

"You holding up there?" she smiled.

"Barely", he laughed, taking deep breaths. "I haven't seen you all week and you feel so, _so _good, Raquel."

When he felt like he was in control of himself again, he started moving inside her with slow, deep strokes that made her sigh with pleasure. He closed his eyes, and as he gave himself over to the feeling, he was filled with wonder. Somehow, in that week apart, he seemed to have forgotten _exactly_ how amazing it was to make love to her, and he eagerly rediscovered it now – the unique intimacy of it, the way their bodies moved together like one, the sheer and utter joy of sharing this experience. He dipped his hand between her legs and she moaned softly as he found the right spot. She put her hand on his to indicate pressure, and he picked up the rhythm of his movements, taking her faster and deeper, making a whispered 'oh!' escape from her lips at every thrust. Nothing in his life had ever given him the satisfaction that he felt whenever he made her come, quivering under his hands, her most intimate moments his alone to witness.

When she tensed and started trembling, he kept up exactly what he was doing, and suddenly she let out a soft cry and contracted around him, shaking in his arms, breathless. He eased the pressure of his fingers to draw out her pleasure for several long, exquisite moments, then she pulled his hand away and tucked it around her waist again, and he held her tightly as he finally gave himself permission to let go. He buried his face in her hair, and the world narrowed down until there was nothing left but _her_ – wonderful, heavenly,perfect.

Afterwards, he kissed her over and over again, unable to get enough of her, unwilling to let her go. Finally she pushed him onto his back and cuddled up to him with a happy sigh, her hand on his chest, her head in the hollow of his shoulder, and he felt at peace for the first time all week. As he held her, he felt her melt into him and he heard Neruda's words echo in his mind. _There is no I or you. _Yes. He felt acutely how true that was: there was no I or you, there was only _them_, simple and true, made whole in each other's presence.

But as he stared up at the ceiling, the euphoria of seeing her again faded gradually from his mind and reality forced its way back into his consciousness. The dark thoughts he'd been having about the heist resurfaced, making something inside his chest contract. This feeling, he reflected, this connection he had with her was priceless, a treasure. And it could be taken from him so easily, just a few short days from now. Her breathing deepened as she drifted off to sleep in his arms, but he'd never felt more awake as his thoughts started racing frantically – he might lose her, he might lose her so soon. Then a sudden thought struck him with almost physical force.

For more than twenty years, his life had seemed a perfectly straight road to him, leading him straight to the heist and beyond. But now, he realized with a blinding flash of insight, he was standing at a fork in the road. One path would lead him directly to her, their future guaranteed, a small but peaceful life. The other path was crooked and dark, with many pitfalls and obstacles, its destination hidden from view. Who knew how they'd get out on the other side – _if _they got out on the other side. One thing was clear to him, though: this heist wasn't an inevitability, as he'd always thought – it was a choice. A choice that he could make – or not.

He turned to her.

"Raquel… Raquel, we don't have to do this."

She opened sleepy eyes. "Don't have to do what?"

"All of this. The operation. We don't _have_ to do it."

She raised her head and shook it to clear it of the fog of sleep. "Wait… _what _are you talking about?"

He sat up, forcing her to sit up too, then he took her hand and gave her an earnest look.

"We haven't committed to anything yet, Raquel. We could still walk away, you and me… find Paula and get out of the country, start a life together as a family. We could go anywhere in the world. I could get a job and we could buy a small house and live a… a _normal _life."

She was staring at him. "Have you gone insane?"

"Why are we taking this risk, Raquel?" he insisted. "I know what I want: a future with you. And I can _have _that, it's right there if I want it, I just have to reach out and take it! Why are we risking that, risking _everything_, when we can just choose not to do the heist and start – start living _now_."

"What about the rest of the team?"

"They can go back to their lives. I didn't promise them anything – the outcome of this was never guaranteed."

Her eyes were big. "Would you really do that? Call the whole thing off?"

He'd never been more serious in his life. "For you, I would. If you ask me to do it, I will. Just say the word – say _one_ _word_ and it's off."

"Would you be happy though?" she said quietly.

"Of course I would. I'd be with you. What do you say?"

She gave him a long, long look, and he held his breath as she considered both options. He wasn't sure what he wanted her to choose – he only knew that, whatever decision she made, he would follow her.

Finally she shook her head. "No, Sergio. We can't give up now. This is your life's work – if we walked away now, you would always regret it. It would haunt you for the rest of your life, and you would end up bitter and unsatisfied with our ordinary lives. And worst of all: you would resent me for it. You've worked so hard. You've lived with this for so long. You need to do this."

"But what if we lose everything?" he whispered.

"I have faith in the plan." She leaned forward and put her hand on his arm. "I have faith in _you_. You know the plan is good – it's _really _good, and I'll be with you every step of the way. If I thought this was a suicide mission, Sergio, I'd say let's do it, let's walk away now. But I think, I genuinely think that we can do this, we can pull this off. You and me together. We're unstoppable."

He felt his mind clear and realized that she was right – he had to do this. There was only one road after all. A difficult and dangerous road, but with her by his side, it suddenly didn't seem so dark anymore, the pitfalls avoidable, the obstacles surmountable. They might still stumble, he knew as he lifted her hand and kissed it. They might still fall. But it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that they'd walk this road together.


	24. Promise

The last week before the heist seemed to go by in a flash, and Sergio's mood constantly fluctuated between cool confidence in his plan, and barely suppressed panic that it would all blow up in his face. He tried to tell himself that he was prepared for every eventuality, but he knew that there were too many variables, too many unknowns, and even the best chess master could be surprised by a sufficiently skilled opponent. He'd had a lot of time to research Raquel when he still assumed she'd be their negotiator, but he still wasn't sure who they'd replace her with, and he hadn't had time to conduct a thorough investigation into the different possibilities. There was nothing he could do about that now, though, so he steadily went through the list of things that needed to be dealt with in the last days before the operation started.

"What else needs to be done?" she asked him one night when they were both sitting on the bed in his room.

"The car has to be destroyed."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I'll send Helsinki to a junkyard and let him pay a thousand euros so they'll destroy it immediately."

She gave him a skeptical look. "You're going to send Helsinki with a thousand euros?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"Look, I like Helsinki, but what's to say he won't just drop off the car and keep the money?"

He frowned. "Do you think he would do that?"

"Why not? The success of the heist isn't guaranteed, at least this way he'll have a thousand euros. Better than nothing."

"That's a good point."

"I'm not saying he _would _do that, I'm just asking if you want to risk it."

"No", he said. "I don't."

"Then go drop off the car yourself and stay there until it's crushed."

He nodded. "Alright, I will."

"Good."

He kissed her. "Thank you. It could have caused so much trouble if that car wasn't properly destroyed."

Then he said: "Let's go over the escape protocol again."

She rolled her eyes. "We've gone over it a thousand times already, I know it by now!"

"One more time", he said.

"Do you know how goldfish are supposed to have a very bad memory?"

"Yes?"

"How they're supposed to forget everything after a few minutes?"

"Yes", he said, frowning. "So?"

"Do you think I'm a goldfish, Sergio? Do I look particularly fishy to you today?"

He laughed. "I don't mean to insult your intelligence, I just want to be sure you know the plan."

"Sergio, a _rock _would know the plan by now. I'm pretty sure if you asked your slippers here they could give you a half-decent answer."

He suppressed a smile. "This is so important, Raquel. Please humor me."

She sighed. "You're such a control freak. Fine, we can go over the protocol one more time, but I want something in return."

"What?"

"A kiss", she smiled. "And I'd like payment in advance."

He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He'd intended to leave it at that, but it felt so nice that he kissed her again, and again, and again. His hand snuck around her waist and the other into her hair, and she threw her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

"You're trying to distract me", he murmured between kisses.

"Is it working?" she smiled.

"No", he said, but he didn't stop kissing her.

She started stroking his neck. "How about now?"

"No."

She slowly ran her hand up his thigh. "Now?"

"No", he repeated, but there wasn't much conviction left in his voice.

She kissed his throat and he groaned.

"Stop that."

"I don't think I will."

"You're playing dirty."

"I don't mind getting a little dirty every once in a while", she grinned, stroking him through his pants.

He groaned again. "Raquel, you're killing me."

She bit his earlobe and he snapped.

"Alright, that's it!"

He pushed her down into the pillows and ducked down to lift her top and kiss her stomach, tickling her with his beard. She squealed and laughed, half-heartedly trying to push him away.

"Stop!"

"Oh no", he said. "No mercy!"

He continued until she was absolutely helpless with laughter, then he came up again to take her in his arms and kiss her.

"How about we compromise?" he suggested. "We go over the plan one more time, and after that you can get as dirty as you want."

Her eyes started sparkling, and he quickly amended: "Within reasonable limits! There's other people in the house. Think of poor Nairobi in the next room."

She laughed. "Alright, let's get this revision over with."

He felt much lighter as they sat up again and he took out the relevant documents. He was so grateful for these little moments with her, to relieve, at least for a little while, the anxiety he felt. He quizzed her on the different escape plans they had for different scenarios, then went over the files with the different locations the people in the team would end up in.

"Two people to the Caribbean, three to Argentina, two to Indonesia, and Berlin comes with us to Palawan", she listed.

"Exactly."

"Have you decided yet who's going where?"

"No", he said quietly. "I haven't."

"Why not?"

He hesitated. "It feels like tempting fate."

"What do you mean?"

"Raquel... we don't know who will actually make it onto that ship out of Europe. Maybe all of us. Maybe only a few. Let's leave off pairing people until we know what people we're sending off."

"That's a good point."

"We'll see who wants to go with whom after the heist is over."

"But you're absolutely set on Berlin coming with us?"

"Yes", he said firmly. "That was decided long before you joined the team and I'm not changing it now."

"Alright", she shrugged. "I know he's your friend."

He gave her a rather guilty look, which she didn't notice because she was looking down at the files. He still hadn't told her about Andrés being his brother. If he told her that, he would also have to tell her about Andrés' disease, and that he was dying, and he just couldn't stand the thought of that conversation. He knew she would want to talk about it, and he and his brother had been dealing with the situation just fine by not mentioning it. Talking about it would make it so real, and he couldn't face that right now. So he kept putting off telling her day after day, and now, right before the heist, it just didn't feel like the right time anymore. He'd tell her after the heist, when they were all safe on some beach somewhere and there weren't so many other things going on. He knew he'd have to come to terms with his brother dying at some point, but just… not now. Not yet.

She looked up at him with a smile. "Alright. Did I pass the test?"

He pushed his sadness away and smiled back at her. "Yes, with flying colors."

"Then I want my reward."

He let her push him down into the pillows, and gladly lost himself in her embrace.

…

Between the busy moments of the last week, he often found himself sunk deep in thought – if this wasn't the time to reflect about your life, when was? Most often, his thoughts turned to Raquel. She had changed his life in every possible way, beyond recognition, beyond belief. But the most drastic change, he realized, was in the way he now looked at his life _after _the heist. Before he met her, he had never really thought about his life after the heist, because the heist itself had claimed all of his attention. He'd always vaguely sensed that life wouldn't be easy after it was all over, whether things worked out or not, because the completion of his plans would rob him of the main reason of his existence, the entire purpose of his life. What would he do with himself after it was done? He would take care of Andrés at first, of course, but after he was… gone… what then? He hadn't wanted to consider what came after, because all he could sense there was a vast emptiness.

And then Raquel had burst into his life and changed everything. Suddenly he wasn't just looking at his time after the heist without dread – he was actually _looking forward_ to it. A life with her, a family… not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined that could be an option for him. She had given him a purpose, given him a reason to live even after the heist and his brother were gone. She would never know how much she meant to him. She had given him a future, and he could never repay her for that.

So there was one thing he kept repeating to himself over and over again: whatever happened, he would protect her. No matter what it took, no matter the sacrifices. Her life was so much more important than his own, because without her, there was only nothingness.

…

On the last night before the heist, they gathered around the table for one last meal together. The atmosphere in the room was very peculiar – a mix of solemnity and giddy excitement. They'd all helped to prepare the food tonight, under the supervision of Raquel, the kitchen full of laughter. Everyone was dealing with their nerves in a different way: Tokyo with over-confidence, Rio by joking, Denver by singing. Nairobi was laughing at everything and Oslo became even more quiet than usual. Sergio himself felt like an arrow in a bow – the bowstring drawn and taut to the point of breaking, the arrow pointing straight at its target, ready to fly.

He looked around the table, at the people gathered there, talking and joking, and he suddenly felt a rush of affection for them all. Cheerful Rio, surprisingly gentle Helsinki, thoughtful Moscow. They were all here for him, to help him realize his life-long ambition. Tokyo, saved from a life in jail, calling him her guardian angel. Nairobi, who had proven herself over and over to be such a valuable friend and ally. His brother, who always had his back. Then his eyes were drawn to the person next to him, _always _next to him. Raquel.

When the food was gone but the wine wasn't, Nairobi suddenly started tapping her knife against her glass, producing a clinking sound that got everyone's attention.

"Speech!" she said, looking at Sergio, and the others took up the cry.

"Speech! Speech!"

Sergio felt himself go red. He hadn't prepared anything to say, and he wasn't great at improvising, especially when people were looking at him. He looked at Raquel, who gave him an encouraging smile and squeezed his hand. He cleared his throat.

"I… I don't know what to say. These last five months with you have been… pleasant."

"Boooo!" Nairobi said. "You can do better than that, Profe!"

Everyone laughed, and Sergio gave an embarrassed grin.

"Alright", he admitted. "They were more than pleasant, they were… very special."

As he paused and looked at them, he felt a sense of calm clarity descend on himself, and he suddenly knew what to say.

"They were… magical, almost. We all came here as separate people… individuals… unconnected. Yet throughout these months, a chemical process has occurred that has fused us into more than the sum of our parts: we are no longer a collection of individuals – we are a team."

He looked around at each of their faces, beaming at him in the low light.

"A family."

There were nods and smiles all around.

"From the start, something united us: a desire for something bigger, something better than life had offered us up to this point. Tomorrow, we'll go after it. Tomorrow, my friends, we face this challenge together and we _fight_, side by side, for victory. Whether things will end in glory or destruction doesn't matter. What matters is that we battle with honor, with pride, against the tyranny of an unjust system that is designed to crush people like us. Tomorrow we show that we will not be crushed. Tomorrow, we are the resistance."

He raised his glass. "To the fight."

Nairobi raised hers. "To the plan!"

Berlin followed her gesture. "And to the Professor."

They all raised their glasses and drank.

…

He ordered everyone to bed so they would have a good night's sleep, but he stayed behind with his brother, to have a last glass of wine before the fire. They were silent for a while, then Andrés said:

"So. Tomorrow it all starts. You have to promise me something, Sergio. If it all goes wrong… escape. Don't stay waiting for us in the hangar, take Raquel and run."

"It won't go wrong."

"You know as well as I do that everything can go wrong. I won't leave here until you promise me that you won't let yourself get caught if thing go to shit."

Sergio gave him a long look. "I'm not promising you that."

Berlin raised one corner of his mouth. "You're giving me your promise right now, or you won't have a captain tomorrow."

When Sergio didn't reply, his brother continued: "You owe it to Raquel, Sergio. She deserves to stay free."

He shook his head. "I won't let anything happen to Raquel, don't worry. But nothing's going to go wrong."

Sitting here with his brother, on his third glass of wine, he was having one of his moments of absolute confidence. "We're the resistance, right?"

When he saw that Andrés wasn't convinced, he softly started singing the song his grandfather had taught him.

"_Una mattina… mi son alzato…"_

He looked at his brother, inviting him to sing along.

"_Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao._"

Andrés frowned, trying to resist the temptation to join in, knowing that he wouldn't get a promise out of Sergio once he gave in.

"_Una mattina… mi son alzato…"_

Very softly, his brother started to sing along.

"_E ho trovato l'invasor."_

They quietly sang the next lines together:

"_O partigiano porta mi via  
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao  
O partigiano porta mi via"_

Sergio suddenly stopped at the next line, so Andrés sang it alone:

"_Ché mi sento di morir."_

_It feels like I'm dying_. Sergio looked down for a moment, a lump in his throat, unable to look his brother in the eye, but Andrés continued the song, a little stronger now.

"_E se io muoio da partigiano  
Bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao"_

With difficulty, Sergio pulled himself together and started singing again, in a whisper at first, but then more strongly, joining his voice with his brother's. At the next stanza, Andrés got up, and Sergio smiled and got up too so they could sing standing close together. He felt another lump in his throat when his brother lifted a hand and stroked his hair, then placed it on the side of his neck, a gesture of connection, of support, of love. They turned outwards, raising their glasses, and his brother's hand was on his shoulder as they sang the end of the song, full of conviction now on the word "liberta". That's what they were fighting for. Freedom.

Afterwards, they put down their glasses and embraced each other, and Sergio's eyes were full of tears as he gripped his brother tightly.

…

He found her out on the terrace, looking up at the stars, and as he regarded her for a while in silence, he slowly felt the confidence drain out of him. It was all very well, telling his brother that he was sure nothing would go wrong, but standing here, looking at the woman he loved, he felt like he needed to be prepared for every scenario. Things _could _go wrong, and though he hadn't promised his brother anything, he was determined to get a promise out of Raquel.

He drew up a chair next to her.

"Can we talk?"

"Of course", she said.

He gathered his courage, then he took a deep breath and started.

"Raquel, you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"Once the operation starts, I need you to follow every order I give you."

"Of course I will. You're in charge."

"No", he said earnestly. "I don't think you realize what I'm saying. When I say every order, I mean _every _order, even if you don't agree."

"Of course", she repeated, but he raised a hand.

"No, listen to me. If I tell you to do something, I need to be sure that you'll do it. If things go wrong and I tell you to run and leave me, I need you to do it. If things go very wrong and I tell you to leave the country without me, _I need you to do it_. Do you understand?"

She gave him a stricken look. "I can't promise you that, Sergio."

"Then you're not coming with me tomorrow", he said firmly. "You are not setting foot in that control room until I have your promise that you will follow my orders, no matter what I ask you to do."

"Let's talk about this."

He shook his head. "This isn't up for debate, Raquel. Either you promise me or you're out."

"You're being unreasonable!"

"No, I'm not."

"But…"

"No buts."

"However…"

"No howevers either. _Either you promise me or you're out._"

She glowered at him, but he returned her look and refused to back down. Finally she clenched her jaw and nodded.

"Fine. I promise."

"You'll follow my every order?"

"Yes."

"Even if you don't like it?"

"Yes."

"Even if I tell you to save yourself and leave me?"

She gave him a resentful look. He raised his eyebrows. She nodded curtly, but he shook his head.

"I need you to say it, Raquel."

"Fine", she snapped. "Yes, I promise."

He felt a heavy weight lift off his chest. "Good, thank you."

Then he steeled himself. "Then this is your first order: if we should get captured, you will fully cooperate with the police. You will tell them that I kidnapped you on your way to prison and that I kept you prisoner for five months. You will tell them that I forced you to participate in the heist against your will."

She gave him a look of highest indignation. "I will do no such thing!"

"Yes you will!"

"But that would make things so much worse for you!"

"But you'll get a much lighter sentence."

She was shaking her head, but he said: "Raquel, you _promised _me!"

"This isn't fair!" she shouted at him.

"I don't care", he said implacably. "This is an order and you'll do as I say. Now for your second instruction."

"There's _more_?"

"Yes. If I get captured and you don't, you are not allowed, under any circumstances, to try and rescue me."

There were tears of frustration in her eyes now.

"Don't ask me promise to that", she whispered.

He gritted his teeth and continued: "I'm not asking. You already promised that you would follow my orders and this is an order. It's not a request. It's not a suggestion. You _will not _put yourself at risk for my sake."

"What if I get captured and you don't? Will you try to rescue me?"

"Of course."

"You're applying a terrible double standard here!"

"It's my heist", he said stubbornly. "It's my standard."

"You're a hypocrite!" she yelled.

He nodded calmly. "I'm fine with that."

"Sergio, I'm not agreeing to this!"

"You gave me your word", he said heatedly. "Are you going to break it?"

"I didn't know what I was agreeing to! You tricked me!"

"Don't blame me for outsmarting you", he said coldly.

She gave him a disgusted look. "You're an asshole."

She got up and stormed off inside. He watched her go with just the faintest trace of regret, but he quickly shook it off. If she had to be upset with him, so be it. It was a price he was willing to pay if it meant that she would be safe. Still, he would try to make it up to her – he didn't want to start the heist fighting, and he was sure she felt the same way. He gave her a few minutes to cool off, then followed her upstairs.

He found her in their room, standing by the window, and it was immediately clear that she was much calmer.

"Alright", she said as he came in. "Let's make a compromise."

He shook his head. "This isn't a negotiation, Inspectora."

"At least hear me out. I will agree to tell the police what you told me to say in case I get captured. I will even agree…" She swallowed hard, then continued: "… I will even agree to run and hide if it looks like our location may be found out, even if you stay behind. You're right – it makes no sense for both of us to risk being captured."

He nodded. "Good."

She gave him a piercing look. "But if you get captured and I don't, I _will _try to rescue you. That's not up for negotiation."

"Indeed it isn't up for negotiation!" he said angrily. "Because you already promised me you wouldn't!"

"Why am I not allowed to do everything I can to get you out?" she said. "Don't you think I'm capable enough to rescue you without getting caught myself?"

"This isn't a question of capability, it's a question of _risk_! And I'm not letting you risk yourself for me!"

"Why not?"

"Because of Paula, Raquel! You have a child! If you're lucky enough not to get caught when I get caught, then you're going to use that precious freedom to take care of your daughter, not me!"

She raised her chin. "I can take care of both of you."

"_I don't matter_, don't you see?"

"You matter to me!"

"Look", he said desperately. "You have a daughter, someone who needs you. Nobody needs me."

"_I _need you!"

"No", he said firmly. "You don't. Not the way your daughter needs you. So I don't want you to risk your freedom. If something happens to me, you engage the escape protocol we have in place, you take Paula and start a new life somewhere. I want you to be free, with or without me."

"There is no 'without you', Sergio! It's you and me, remember? Always. _Always_."

He grimaced but shook his head. She came closer to him, her eyes and voice softer now.

"Sergio", she said quietly, "This thing we have, you and me? It's _real_ love. This is it, my friend. It doesn't get any realer than this. So many people spend their entire lives looking for it, and we actually _found _it. And you know the thing about a love like this? A breathtakingly, heartbreakingly real love like this? It's something you hang onto for dear life, because if you lose it, that's something you can never come back from. So I'm going to fight for it, Sergio, I'll be damned if I don't! And you can't stop me. Fuck your orders, fuck my promise – if you get caught I'm coming after you, come hell or high water, do you hear me? You saved _me _once. If I need to, I'll do the same for you, you just watch me."

"Raquel", he said desperately. "If you get caught because of me, how could I live with that? How could I bear that responsibility?"

"I'm an adult woman, Sergio. This is _my _responsibility, _my _choice to make. And I choose _you_. I will never not choose you."

"I can't change your mind?" he said quietly.

"No", she said calmly.

He rubbed his eyes. "Then I suppose I have no choice but to accept it. If I get caught, you'll rescue me."

"You bet I will", she said fiercely, then rushed into his open arms and squeezed him so tight that he couldn't breathe. He didn't mind, though. She took his breath away anyway.

After several long moments, she gently disengaged from him and looked up at him with a serious expression.

"Alright, now it's my turn."

"Your turn?"

She nodded. "Sergio, if something happens to me during the heist…"

"Nothing's going to happen to you", he said sharply. In all the hours he'd spent thinking about all the possible outcomes of the heist, this was the one thing he'd always refused to think about, because it wasn't a possibility, it _wasn't_. Nothing was going to happen to her because he wouldn't let it. "You're not leaving the control room, unless something goes seriously wrong, and then we'll engage the escape protocol."

"Still", she said quietly, "If I die…"

"Don't even say that, Raquel!"

"Sergio", she said sternly. "If I die, you need to promise that you'll do something for me."

"What could I possibly do for you if you're dead?"

"Live", she said simply.

He suddenly felt tears burning behind his eyes. How did she know?

"I mean it, Sergio", she said softly. "If something happens to me, you can't give up."

"You… you think I'd shoot myself?"

She shook her head. "No, but I think you'd put yourself in increasingly dangerous situations without regard for your own life until something would kill you."

He shifted guiltily.

"Promise me you won't do that", she said softly. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself."

He looked away from her, but she put her hand against his cheek and turned his face back to hers.

"Promise me."

He shook his head, unable to speak.

"_Promise me_."

He gave her a bitter look. "You didn't promise me what I asked you to promise. Or rather, you did, but then you took it back. Why should I promise you anything?"

"Because I'm asking you", she said simply.

"What does a promise even mean?" he said evasively. "It took you all of five minutes to break yours. I believe your exact words were: 'fuck my promise'."

"I didn't know what I was promising. I know you'll keep yours", she said calmly. "You're good like that."

He tried another tack. "If you're dead, what does it matter to you if I live or die?"

"It matters to me _now_. I need to know you'll be okay."

"How could I _possibly _be okay? What about all the things you said before, about never coming back from losing a love like ours?"

"That's still true, and I still believe we should fight for it if we have the choice. But you may not have that choice, and I need to know that you'll still go on."

"Why?" he whispered. "Why would I?"

"You're not the man you were when I met you", she said. "You've changed. You're more open, you've grown, you're connecting to other people."

"You taught me", he said quietly. "You taught me to be happy."

"Yes. You've learned to be happy, and I believe that, in time, you could learn to be happy again."

"But not like this", he said, his voice strained.

She shook her head. "No, not like this. But there are other, smaller happinesses to be found. Live for those. Live for me."

He tried to look away again, but she caught his face between her hands and looked up at him.

"Please."

"I can't."

"Please, Sergio. _Please_."

When he still didn't reply, she clearly decided to play her trump card.

"Sergio, if I die, I need you alive to keep an eye on Paula. To make sure that… that Alberto isn't hurting her. Will you do that for me?"

He gave her a look of dismay. "I can't believe you're playing that card."

"I'll play any card I have to."

"How can I say no to that?"

"You can't. So say yes."

He frowned. "Fine, yes. Yes, of course I will. As… as long as I'm alive, I'll watch over her."

"But then you have to promise me you'll try your hardest to stay alive."

He grimaced, and she put a hand against his cheek. "Down let me down, Sergio."

He took a deep, shaking breath. For several long moments, he silently struggled with himself. Then…

"I'll try. I promise I'll try."

She seemed to realize that that was the best she would get out of him. She wrapped her arms around him and allowed him to pull her close. She leaned her head against his chest, and he leaned his cheek against the top of her head as he held her. For a long time, they simply stood holding each other, while he tried his hardest not to think of life without her.

It didn't work – he kept thinking of all the ways things could go wrong, all the possible circumstances that could take her away from him. She seemed to sense his inner turmoil, because she reached up a hand and started stroking the back of his neck, and he gradually felt himself calm down as his attention was drawn to the sensation, as she grounded him in the present with her touch. The future was uncertain, but he was here with her now, and in this very moment, that was all that mattered. He was acutely aware of every brush of her fingers against his skin, and when she lifted her face to his and pressed a tender kiss against his lips, it was like he was kissing her for the first time again. He marveled all over again at her softness, the sweet taste of her, the way she parted her lips for him. With just one kiss, she captured him completely, pulled him out of the storm of his thoughts and brought him home to her.

How did she do that? How did she keep surprising him, with these flashes of wonder, these undreamt of moments of connection, each a tiny miracle to him, each so far beyond the realm of anything he'd ever experienced before he met her. Oh, how he adored her. How he treasured her.

How he loved her.

Their kiss deepened and turned into something else, something hungrier, as they started undressing each other with a sudden deep urgency to remove every barrier between them. They didn't break apart for an instant as they moved towards the bed, and as they lay down together, skin to skin, they were both painfully aware that this might be their last time together. The thought brought a sharp edge of desperation to the way they held on to each other, and he pressed his lips to hers over and over and over again, trying to kiss a lifetime worth of kisses in one night.

As she pressed her naked body to his, he became aware that something was shifting between them. He'd never felt so close to her. They had always been in synch with each other when making love, but what he felt tonight was of a different level entirely, a connection so complete it consumed him. He felt it in his skin, his veins, his very core. There was no fumbling or clumsiness or bumping into each other tonight – they moved as one, both so finely attuned to the other that it seemed like there was no difference between her body and his, her face lifting up to his when he even just _thought _about kissing her, her hands exactly where he craved them. When he stroked her, his own skin started to tingle, and when he kissed her throat, a shiver ran down his spine. Their eyes met and he knew that she felt it too.

They kept very close to each other, kissing, touching, caressing. All of his senses seemed heightened tonight, and he was more aware of her than ever, of the sweet smell of her skin, her soft sighs, every stroke of her fingers sending a thrill straight through him. He sensed within her the same conflicting desires that he was experiencing: the desire to take their time, to make it last as long as possible, competing with a desperate yearning for each other, a deep, aching longing for absolute intimacy. Finally, at the same time, they both decided that they couldn't wait any longer – she opened her legs to him at the exact moment he reached down a hand, and they were both breathless with joyful anticipation as he covered her body with his and she guided him in.

When he entered her, her arms wrapped around him, his mouth on hers, the connection between them seemed to strengthen even more, her pleasure bleeding into his, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Then they started moving in easy synchronicity, until he couldn't really remember what it was like to be apart, until the idea of them ever _not _being together seemed ridiculous… absurd… a physical impossibility. How could they be separated when they were, in fact, one?

He wished that this feeling could last forever, that this night would never end, but all too soon he felt the tension inside him begin to build, and he sensed that she was close, too. The moment he formulated that thought, she put a hand against his cheek and he opened his eyes to meet hers, so dark and warm and beautiful.

"Together?" she whispered, and he nodded, knowing immediately what she meant.

They hadn't tried this before, but tonight it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to come together. How could it happen any other way? They changed positions without breaking contact, and he sat on the edge of the bed so she could straddle him on her knees. He immediately pulled her close again and she kissed him deeply as she sank down on him, flooding his brain with bliss once more. They set a quicker pace now, a soft moan escaping from her lips at every stroke, and she moved a hand between them to put her fingers on the right spot. He kept a tight rein on himself as he waited for her to get there, feeling the tension inside each of them build together, until it reached an almost unbearable pitch. He wrapped his arms tightly around her as he felt a fiery tingling start up inside him, and from the way she caught her breath he knew she felt it too. When the wave broke over them, they rode it together, his pleasure amplified by hers, their bodies connected in a perfect union, and for just one eternal moment he lost all sense of self and it was glorious.

Afterwards, they kept holding each other for a long time, losing themselves in slow, lingering kisses and caresses. Then they sank down into the pillows and cuddled close, unwilling to let go of each other for even a second. They didn't talk about what they'd just experienced – there was no need for words. As he lay there, holding her, he was overcome with a feeling of serene tranquility, in the unshakeable knowledge that she completed him, that they were two pieces of the same object, their broken edges fitting together perfectly. Apart, they had been fragmented, but together, they were whole.

After a while, she pushed him gently onto his back and came to lie with her head in the hollow of his shoulder, and they were quiet for a long time as he stroked her arm and gradually came back to the realization that this might be their last night together. He suddenly felt the need to express to her what he was feeling, to show her how important she was, to convey to her at least a little bit of how much she meant to him. If this was the last intimate moment they ever had together, what did he want to say to her? He struggled for the right words, and realized that he could never find them on his own. So he borrowed someone else's.

"I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry tree", he quoted softly.

"That's beautiful", she said, surprised. "Who wrote it?"

"Neruda. That's what you did with me, Raquel. What spring does with the cherry tree."

She put her hand against his cheek and gave him the softest smile.

Then she said: "Do you remember our talk after I had that panic attack when you taught us how to induce a syncope?"

"Of course."

"I don't know if you remember, but I told you that I still didn't feel fully alive again after everything that happened with Alberto. That I wondered if I'd ever really feel alive again."

He nodded. "I remember."

"You made me feel alive again, Sergio", she whispered. "More alive than I ever thought possible. So yes, my darling, yes. You have been my spring, too."

He felt close to crying as he stroked her hair. He didn't know if they'd ever see summer, he reflected, but at least they'd known spring, in all its freshness, with all its tiny miracles, in all its pink-petaled glory. Their time together had been a burst of cherry blossoms, sweet and beautiful and gone too soon. No matter what happened with the heist, that could never be taken from them again.

She looked up at him with soft eyes. "You and me?"

He bent his head to kiss her.

"You and me, my love", he whispered. "You and me."

They wrapped their arms around each other and held on so, so tight, waiting for the morning and whatever it would bring them.


	25. Heist

**Day 1**

They had to get up in the early hours of the morning to clean the house of DNA, which could only be done right before they left. Sergio woke out of a fitful sleep even before his alarm went off, and immediately felt wide awake. This was it. This was the day he'd been waiting for, planning for, working towards for most of his life. He couldn't quite believe that it was really here, that they would be executing the biggest heist in history in just a few hours. For a moment, he felt a wave of nausea wash over him, but then he took a few deep breaths and told himself that the odds were in his favor: his plan was solid, his team was solid, his preparations were more than solid. They could do this. They _would _do this. He turned his head to look at Raquel, still sleeping beside him. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that he would be doing this with someone like her – a partner in every sense of the word. Just looking at her made him feel better.

When the alarm went off, she opened sleepy eyes and turned to look at him.

"Good morning, my love. How are you feeling?"

He considered this for a moment. "Calmer than I thought I would be. It doesn't feel real yet. How are you feeling?"

"Ready", she said simply, and he nodded in appreciation. She was probably more ready for this than he could ever be. He remembered how incredible she was under pressure – focused, quick-thinking, always in control of the situation – and he suddenly realized why he felt so calm: because she would be by his side. He knew that if he stumbled, she would steady him; if he messed up, she'd have his back; and if he failed, if all of this turned into a complete disaster, she would still be right next to him, and as long as that was true, as long as he could take her hand and see her smile, everything would be alright. The heist could never be a total loss, because it had brought her to him. He might not walk away from this with any money, but as long as he could walk away with _her_, even a failure would feel like a victory.

They got up and got dressed in silence. When they were both ready, they looked at each other, then moved in for a hug at the same time. He held her tight, drawing strength from the solid presence of her, from the familiarity of the shape of her body and the smell of her hair. Inside his head, there was the mantra that he kept repeating over and over again: he would keep her safe, he would keep her safe no matter what. He let their embrace go on for moment after long moment, unwilling to let her go, reluctant to step out of that door, knowing it would break once and for all the little bubble they had built around themselves here, warm and safe and full of love. They might never have another moment like this, so how could he end it, how could he open his arms and let her go? He simply wasn't strong enough. Finally she looked up at him.

"Do you want to go?" she asked him softly.

He shook his head and buried his face in her hair, and she hugged him tighter in return. He took a deep breath – he had to get a hold of himself or he would never be able to let go of her. He couldn't be Sergio right now – soft, open, in love – he couldn't let himself be weakened by his emotions. With an effort, he summoned that other side of himself, and things sharply came into focus as he felt the focal point of his consciousness shift from his heart to his brain, making him feel powerful and completely in control of the situation. Sergio might never be fully ready for this, but the Professor was.

"Let's do this", he said, releasing her, and when she took a step back and looked up at him, he noticed with a rush of admiration the fire burning in her dark eyes.

"Yes", she nodded. "Let's fucking do this."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, one last, long, fierce kiss, then they broke apart and stepped out into the hallway.

Everyone helped to clean the house of all traces of DNA, then they carefully set up things like toothbrushes and half-eaten food to look like evidence. Sergio had already gone through the papers in the classroom, removing anything that contained vital information, but leaving up as much as he safely could. On top of that, he'd added a number of fake documents that he'd manufactured specifically for this purpose: strategies and escape plans that seemed plausible enough at first glance but that were entirely fictional. It was essential that the police be distracted, that they lose as much time here as possible so they wouldn't focus on the team in the Mint.

When it was time to leave, the team gathered around the van they would be leaving in, all wearing red jumpsuits and carrying Dali masks. Sergio walked up to his brother and pulled him a short distance away from the others, feeling the mask of the Professor slip in the face of having to say goodbye.

"Are you ready?"

Berlin grinned. "More than I've ever been in my life. Don't worry, Sergio, I've got this."

He put a hand on Sergio's shoulder. "And so do you. Don't forget that you're your father's son."

Sergio's throat suddenly felt tight. He looked down at the ground and swallowed, then said quietly:

"I just want to make him proud."

"And I'm sure you will", Berlin assured him earnestly. "I don't doubt that for a second."

Sergio looked up gratefully. God knew his brother wasn't perfect, and often Sergio was painfully aware of his flaws, but then suddenly Andrés would say something like this, showing unsuspected depth, and they would share a moment of genuine feeling and connection. His charismatic older brother. For such a long time, he'd been everything to Sergio – his protector, his mentor, his only friend. Now Raquel had taken a very central place in his affections, but he didn't love his brother any the less for it. He looked at the familiar face, smiling at him, and wondered if he'd ever see it again. Was this goodbye? The moment didn't feel significant enough – he felt like he should do something, say something, to make it… bigger, somehow.

Sergio hesitated, then started in a low voice: "Andrés…"

His brother raised a hand. "Let's not have a sentimental goodbye. We'll see each other again in eleven days."

Sergio took a deep breath, willing himself to believe it. "Yes. Eleven days."

"And we'll be in almost constant communication."

"True." Sergio swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. "Good luck."

"You too."

They couldn't hug in front of the others, so Sergio held out his hand and his brother took it and squeezed it, hard.

"See you on the other side, Sergio."

"Take care, Andrés."

Berlin kept hold of his hand as he softly sang the very last line of _Bella Ciao:_

"_E questo il fiore del partigiano, morto per la liberta…"_

Sergio felt a sudden fierce rush of pride as he raised his head and looked his brother in the eye.

"Yes", he said. "_Per la liberta_."

His brother gave him one last grin, then turned back to the team.

"Alright people, _vámonos_!"

…

Sergio and Raquel watched the van drive off, then they got onto Sergio's bike and set off themselves for Madrid. They arrived in the control room at around nine, half an hour before the team would stop and take over the transport to the Mint. Sergio turned on all of the electronics, then they both put on a headset.

"Berlin?" he said. "Checking in."

His brother's voice came back immediately. "Hearing you loud and clear. You also there, Lisbon?"

"I'm here, Berlin", Raquel said.

"How are the nerves, sweetheart?"

She snorted. "Don't patronize me."

Berlin laughed. "Steady as ever, I hear. Good."

"How are things there?" Sergio intervened.

"Everything going according to plan. I'll keep you briefed."

There was nothing for it now but to wait, and the tension was terrible. Sergio was experiencing a mix of emotions somewhere between exhilaration and terror that made him feel more alert than he had ever felt in his life. They waited in silence, listening as the team took over the transport, only looking at each other every now and then. Five minutes before everyone was about to arrive at the Mint, he took her hands in his and held on tight as they leaned their foreheads together. Whatever happened, they were in this together. For a moment, Sergio was acutely aware of the fact that he almost hadn't recruited her, that he'd almost been here alone, without her. The thought seemed absurd – of course they were meant to do this together. It could be no other way.

At 10.15, Berlin alerted Sergio that they'd arrived, and he felt his entire body tense. The next fifteen minutes would be crucial. Everyone entered the Mint without trouble, and he felt his heart rate accelerate, just barely keeping his hands from shaking. Any moment now…

"Go", he whispered.

The team all drew their guns at once, and suddenly there was shouting coming through every ear piece. He stood up anxiously, hoping fervently that everyone would cooperate without trouble. He didn't like this kind of violence, scaring people, threatening them, but sadly it was necessary. He started pacing – he hated that he had no control over this part of the operation. Then the team pointed their guns at the group of school children in the museum, and suddenly there were screams in his ear and he hated it, he hated it so much. What had they started, what the _hell _were they doing? He shot a look at Raquel and saw the shadow of his own dismay on her face.

"This is awful", he whispered.

She nodded, then steeled herself. "There's nothing for it, though, it has to be done. It will be over soon, they'll calm down again."

He kept his eyes on her – she looked so calm and collected whereas he felt like his nerves were fraying. She reached out a hand and he took it gratefully, feeling instantly better, as if some of her strength was transferred to him by her touch.

"This is the worst of it", she said softly. "Once you're in control of the situation, you'll feel better."

He nodded, recognizing the truth of her words.

Then Tokyo yelled through her headset that she didn't see the Lamb, claiming all of their attention.

He turned to Raquel in alarm. "Where could she be?"

"Check the bathrooms!" Raquel told Tokyo through her headset.

For a moment, Sergio feared Tokyo might not take the order from Raquel… there was a short, tense pause, but then Tokyo said:

"On it."

A few minutes later, Tokyo reported that she'd indeed found the girl in a bathroom, and they looked at each other in relief.

"How did you know she'd be in a bathroom?" Sergio asked.

Raquel shrugged. "She's a teenage girl, it seemed like the logical place to look."

Everything was under control now. He slowly sat down again, shaking slightly, and closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt her hand on his arm, and he opened his eyes again to see her smile at him.

"Well done", she said. "Part one couldn't have gone better."

He shook his head. "The takeover was sloppy, it could have been done more quickly, and then the thing with Miss Parker, that was…"

"Sergio", she cut him off firmly. "It couldn't have gone better."

He took a deep breath. "Yes. Yes, of course, you're right."

She nodded. "Now for part two."

Everyone executed their assigned tasks, and after about half an hour, Sergio gave his next order:

"Berlin, prepare to open the doors."

Raquel, meanwhile, was tuning in to the police frequency.

"_There's a 10-33 at the Mint." _

"_We'll be there in two minutes." _

Raquel pressed a timer and said to Berlin: "Two minutes."

They waited, side by side, on the edge of their seats.

"_Z-24 to central, we'll be there in 30 seconds."_

"30 seconds, Berlin", Raquel reported.

Sergio was breathing fast. The next part was dangerous, but necessary: it was crucial that the police think they were trapped and desperate.

Sergio waited for his brother to give the order to go outside, but then he heard Rio shout:

"Tokyo! Tokyo!"

Suddenly, there were shots coming over the headset, and Sergio felt almost unbearably tense, frustrated to the extreme that he couldn't see what was happening. The shots went on for several minutes, then everything went quiet. Over the police radio, they heard:

"_We need back-up at the Mint! Officer down!"_

Sergio turned to Raquel with a look of horror. She was staring back at him with wide eyes, her hands clapped over her mouth.

…

They didn't dare talk over the headsets anymore, since the police might already be listening in. Instead, they had to wait until the analog telephone was set up and their own telephone started ringing. Sergio picked up.

"What happened?"

His brother answered him. "Two police officers wounded."

"Wounded?" Raquel asked. "Not dead?"

"I don't think so."

"Who shot them?" Sergio asked.

"Tokyo." Berlin spoke away from the phone for a moment. "Connect the cameras for the Professor." Then he spoke to Sergio again. "Rio got hit…"

"Is he alright?" Raquel said urgently.

"Yes, just a scratch. But when it happened, Tokyo started shooting back."

Sergio looked at Raquel, who rolled her eyes. "_Of course _she did."

"Let me talk to her", Sergio said.

The cameras suddenly connected, finally giving them eyes inside. They saw Tokyo take the phone with a belligerent look on her face.

"Look, Tokyo", Sergio started heatedly, "I know you're sleeping with Rio, but you _cannot _let your personal feelings get in the way of the plan!"

"What?" Tokyo said. "I'm not sleeping with the kid."

"Don't play dumb, Tokyo", Raquel snapped.

"Alright, fine", Tokyo snapped back. "I shot to protect myself and my partner. You know, Mr. Professor, no matter how well you plan things out, they don't always go the way you think they will."

She slammed the phone down and Sergio was left with the dial tone. He put his phone down too, fuming.

"I should have known Tokyo would mess things up!"

Raquel put a calming hand on his arm. "Don't panic, nothing's lost yet."

"If those police officers die, we're screwed, Raquel!"

"I know", she said, "but let's worry about that if it actually happens."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "You're right. We'll just have to wait for the police to set up their center of operations and call us."

It was a long wait, and neither of them said very much. Sergio kept practicing his "what are you wearing?" line with different inflections and tones. He needed to get it exactly right, as it would serve to unbalance the negotiator and help him establish the upper hand in the conversation. He just hoped they would indeed bring in Inspector Elena González from a different district, as Raquel predicted, because the line would be useless if they put Ángel in charge of the operation.

He suddenly noticed that Raquel had a slight smile on her face.

"What?" he asked her.

"Do you realize…", she said. "If things had been different… About now would have been the first time we would have talked."

That made him smile too, and for just one second his nerves were forgotten. "I'm sure I would have liked you instantly."

"And I'm sure I would have hated you", she laughed. "With your inappropriate questions."

He gave her a sly look. "_Would _you have hated me though?"

She considered him for a moment with sparkling eyes. "Well… maybe not entirely."

He grinned and sat down, feeling just a little better, just a little more relaxed.

When the police radio crackled out another message, he glanced at her. "It must be weird for you to be on the other side of this."

She hesitated, then nodded. "I can't pretend that it isn't."

He observed her carefully, and he was proud to see no sign of regret in her, no sign that she was anything but committed to the success of their operation.

Finally, the phone rang. Now that it came down to it, Sergio felt the Professor take over, calm and collected. He took up a red piece of paper to fold and picked up.

"Hello", a female voice sounded on the other side of the line, and Sergio smiled.

"Good evening."

"I am Elena González and I'm the Inspector in charge. Who am I speaking to?"

"The leader of the operation. How are your colleagues?"

"Hurt, but still alive at this point."

Sergio breathed a silent sigh of relief, and so did Raquel next to him.

"I'm glad. I'm really glad."

"Excuse me", the Inspector said, "is that robot voice really necessary?"

"I'm sorry for this ugly metallic sound, but you understand that I have to protect my identity. In case we get a helicopter to go to Brazil."

"Is that what you want? A helicopter?"

"What I want, first of all, is to negotiate with someone who doesn't hesitate, someone who doesn't need to check in with their superior officer or Intelligence or their mother to tell them yes or no."

"Well", she said drily. "Like I said: I'm in charge. I won't pretend to have absolute power, but I can assure you that I won't ask my mother for anything."

Sergio grinned, and the Inspector continued:

"Any other questions?"

"Yes…" Sergio said, tensing. "What are you wearing?"

He'd expected the question to throw her off, but she didn't miss a beat.

"A blue blazer, what are _you _wearing?"

He blinked. "You… you want to know what _I'm _wearing?"

"I told you what I'm wearing, it seems only fair that you return the favor."

He looked at Raquel – this wasn't in their script. She was shaking her head vehemently, but he decided to play along, establish trust and goodwill, make her think that he was willing to cooperate.

"Jeans and a blue sweater", he lied, and Raquel groaned.

He frowned at her to stay quiet as the Inspector responded.

"Conducting your robbery very casually then."

He couldn't help but smile. "Why the interest in my apparel, Inspector?"

"Well, don't you think our clothes say a lot about us?"

He raised his eyebrows. That was going to be _his _next line. He cleared his throat.

"And how do you like your men, Miss González? Well-dressed or a little scruffy? The gentleman or the rogue?"

"The gentleman", she said immediately. "No question. Are you a gentleman, sir?"

"I believe I am."

"A real gentleman would introduce himself."

He laughed softly. "You can call me the Professor. Everybody does."

"Are you a teacher?"

"Too many questions, Miss González."

"Let's get to business then, Professor. What do you want?"

Sergio paused for a moment, then said: "Time. To get things straight. Listen, Inspector, we almost got away. We're perfectly prepared to defend ourselves, so try not to intervene. Can I trust you?"

"Of course. But to know that _I _can trust _you_, you have to give me something. There is a group of school children among your hostages, all of them minors. They shouldn't be mixed up in something like this."

"You want me to let them go?"

"Yes. They're children, and you have plenty of other hostages. Please release them."

He nodded. "I'll consider your request."

"It's what a gentleman would do", she said, and he put the phone down with a smile.

Immediately, Raquel turned to him with an exasperated expression.

"Come on, Sergio, I was _clearly_ indicating that you shouldn't tell her what you're wearing!"

"What does it matter? I didn't tell her the truth."

"It matters because now she knows you're not in the Mint with the others!"

He frowned. "How?"

"Because they saw the team come out, all wearing red jumpsuits!"

"You're right", he said, stricken. "I… I answered without really thinking. I didn't expect her to ask the question back."

She laughed. "You asked that question to throw her off balance and she bounced it right back at you. Admit it, she beat you at your own game."

He grinned, his dismay turning into delight. "Oh, I like that. She'll be very interesting to deal with."

"You shouldn't sound so pleased about that! She outsmarted you right in your first conversation."

He felt a fire kindle inside him. Oh, a _real _challenge, a worthy opponent – the prospect was extremely appealing.

"I'll have to do better next time then. I underestimated her. That won't happen again."

He thought about it for a moment, then said:

"You know, this isn't so bad. Let her think I slipped up…"

"You _did _slip up."

"… that way she'll underestimate me, and it will make it more believable when I 'accidentally' let things slip later."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "You better be careful, Sergio. She seems like a match for you."

He could barely contain his enthusiasm. "I agree. Oh, this is going to be _interesting."_

She shook her head at him, but he was too excited to care.

…

They knew the police would plan to enter the Mint in the middle of the night to try and save Allison, so they both stayed awake and watching the cameras, nervously waiting for the police to make their move. Once they detected movement, Sergio called Berlin and the team set the next part of the plan in motion. The police intervention team went straight to the loading bay, exactly like Sergio had predicted. At that point, Rio had Allison call the national radio and tell them the hostages were dressed the same as the robbers. The team at the loading bay, meanwhile, had drilled a hole through the door and seen the Browning machine gun. For a few tense moments, nothing happened, and Sergio and Raquel kept their eyes glued to the screens. Then, all police teams pulled back at once and Sergio took off his glasses and rubbed a shaking hand over his eyes.

"We should be fine for a while now", he muttered. "They'll need to rethink their strategies, see how they want to play this."

"It worked", Raquel whispered next to him. "It worked out exactly the way you said it would. You're a genius, Sergio, a goddamn genius."

He laughed shakily and pulled her in for a kiss, then another and another and another, and she responded by getting up out of her chair to sit astride his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back enthusiastically. They couldn't stop laughing, both light-headed with relief, and he gave her kiss after kiss, suddenly hungry for her, for her mouth, her hands, her skin. She seemed to feel the same way, because her hands were in his hair and she pressed herself close to him as he ran his hands down her back. When she started unbuttoning his shirt, however, he pulled himself together with a supreme effort.

"No", he said, pushing her hands away, "Raquel, we said we wouldn't."

"Did we?" she said innocently.

"Yes, we agreed weeks ago: no sex during the heist."

"I don't think I remember that", she murmured, leaning in for another kiss.

He grinned. "Yes, you do!"

She quickly undid another button on his shirt and he pushed her hands away again, laughing.

"Control yourself, woman!"

"Don't you think we deserve to blow off some steam?"

"What if something happens when we're not paying attention? We can't afford to be distracted."

She sighed and sat up. "I suppose you're right."

He gave her a warm look and pulled her in for one more kiss. "It's only for eleven days."

"This is going to be a _long _heist", she said drily.

When she got off him, however, he instantly regretted it. He didn't want to stop kissing her, he didn't want her warmth and her scent and her mouth to go away. He reached out a hand to pull her back, but at that moment she glanced at the screens and said:

"Look! They're starting the presses!"

That got his attention. They watched eagerly as the hostages filed in and started work, Nairobi marching amongst them like a general. He got up and put a record on the record player, and the triumphant strains of Beethoven's Ninth rang out through the hangar as they watched the money start rolling… rolling… rolling… They couldn't stop grinning at each other. This was what they had come for – now it was really beginning.

…

It was almost six in the morning when he turned to her.

"What will she do now?"

"Who?"

"The Inspector."

"If I were her, I'd quit after Intelligence overruled me like that. I'd want nothing to do with it."

"Do you think that's what Miss González will do?"

She considered this for a moment. "No, I don't think so. From what I know of her, she's not the person to just give up on a case."

"Very committed, is she?"

"Practically married to the job."

"Single?"

"As far as I know, yes."

"Will she go home and rest now?"

"Not at this point, no. They'll have to consider their next move."

"What would you do now if you were her?"

"Honestly? I'd go out for a coffee to clear my head."

He gave her a sharp look. "You think she'll go out for coffee?"

"It's a distinct possibility, yes. I'd want to get out of that tent."

"Where to?"

"In this neighborhood? Probably Hanoi."

He got up. "I have to meet her."

"_What?_"

"I'm going to Hanoi and wait for her there."

She stared at him. "Are you actually _insane_, Sergio? You want to _meet _the person _leading the case against you_?"

"Yes."

"_Why?_"

"I want to get a sense of her, what kind of person she is, who I'm dealing with."

"And you need to meet her for that?"

"I want to look her in the eye. That's the quickest way to get the measure of someone."

"Sergio, that's such a crazy risk to take!"

"It's not, really. She has no way of knowing who I am."

She got up too and put her hand on his arm when he reached for his jacket.

"Don't make such a big decision on an impulse!"

"It's not an impulse", he admitted reluctantly. "It was always my plan to try to meet the person in charge of the case face to face."

"What?" she frowned. "I know every letter of that plan and you never said a word about this."

He didn't meet her eye. "Because I knew you wouldn't agree."

"Well, you're damn right about that!"

"I've got this under control, Raquel, don't worry. It's a calculated risk."

He shook off her hand and put on his jacket. Her eyes were wide.

"Sergio, don't do this!"

"I'll be fine", he soothed her. "And I'll be back as soon as I can. Remember, you are not to talk to the police under any circumstances."

"Yes", she said. "I know, but…"

"If they call while I'm out, you don't answer the phone."

"I won't. But…"

He started moving towards the door. "Keep an eye on the cameras at all times."

"I will, but are you seriously doing this?!"

He turned around, giving her an appealing look. "I have to meet her, Raquel, I _have _to. Don't you understand?"

"No", she said heatedly, "I don't understand at all!"

"We'll be negotiating with this woman for days, and these negotiations will determine how long we'll be able to stay in the Mint. I _need _to know who I'm dealing with. She's clearly a capable person, so every edge I can get over her will help."

"How will meeting her give you an edge over her?"

"I don't know yet", he said, "but it might."

"This is such a stupid idea!"

"You're vastly overestimating the risk I'm running, Raquel. Please calm down. I'll be back soon. If something goes wrong, call me."

And with those words, he opened the door and stepped out into the early morning light, leaving Raquel behind, angry and worried.

…

He sat at the end of the counter in the café, perfectly prepared to wait for a while, but it was only half an hour before she came in. He recognized her from the photos he'd seen of her: mid-thirties, medium height and build, her dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. He noted with interest that she was _not_, in fact, wearing a blue blazer like she'd told him, but a grey shirt. He kept observing her out of the corner of his eye as she walked to the counter with a quiet kind of confidence and ordered a coffee. He got up as she got her cup, and just as she turned around to take it to a table, he bumped into her, causing her to drop the cup and saucer, which shattered on the ground.

"Oh god!" he said, "I'm so sorry!"

She shot him a piercing look. "Watch where you're walking, will you?"

"Really, I'm so sorry! I'll pay for the cup", he assured the owner, who came around the counter with a mop and a disgruntled look.

Then he turned back to the Inspector. "Please let me buy you a new cup."

"There's no need for that."

"Please, I insist. Regular coffee?"

She hesitated, then said: "Yes. Black."

He gestured towards a table. "Please, sit down, I'll bring it to you."

He waited for the owner to pour a fresh cup, then set it down in front of the Inspector.

"Can I… can I join you for a moment?"

She considered him. "Alright, why not."

He sat down across from her. "I'm usually not that clumsy, I hope you'll be able to forgive me."

She gave him a long, intense look, and he was struck by the intelligence in her dark eyes.

"You bumped into me on purpose, didn't you?"

"What?"

"There was plenty of room to walk past me. You did that on purpose."

_Damn_, she was sharp. He swallowed. "Why would I do that?"

"You tell me."

He looked down, and gave an embarrassed laugh. "Alright, you got me. I… I just wanted an excuse to talk to you."

"Picking up women at six in the morning?" she said, one corner of her mouth quirking up in a half-smile.

He shrugged and shot her a shy smile in return. "You just seem like an interesting person."

"And you thought making me spill my coffee was a good way to get to know me?"

"You're right", he said contritely. "That was a very clumsy thing to do. Can we start over?"

He held out his hand. "Salvador Martín."

She kept those intense eyes on him for a long moment, and he thought she might refuse his hand, but then she reached out and shook it.

"Elena González."

He gave her a genuine smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss González."

…

Raquel kept pacing up and down in front of the desk, keeping only one eye on the screens. Everything was quiet in the Mint, the presses running smoothly, most of the hostages sleeping, but she herself felt wide awake with worry. She couldn't _believe _Sergio had gone out and put himself right under the nose of the police. Or actually, no, she reminded herself, that wasn't Sergio, it was the fucking Professor, damn arrogant bastard that he was. Thinking he was untouchable, thinking he was so much smarter than everybody else. She'd always liked the Professor in the classroom and especially in the bedroom, but she was beginning to realize that they might not always see eye to eye now that things were getting serious.

After about an hour, the door to the hangar opened again and he walked back in. She felt faint with relief as she rushed to him and hugged him.

"Thank god you're back."

He chuckled as he patted her on the back. "I was never in any danger, Raquel, she had no idea who I was."

"So how was it?"

His eyes were shining with enthusiasm. "We're in for an interesting few days. She's a chess player too."

"You talked about _chess_?"

"We didn't have to, I could just tell."

She gave him a skeptical look. "You can _tell _if someone's a chess player?"

"She has such a sharp mind, incisive, strategic. A quick thinker, too. Amazingly quick."

She raised her eyebrows. "You do remember you're _fighting _this woman, not dating her, right?"

He waved a hand. "Yes, of course, I know."

"_Do you _though?"

He laughed. "Yes! I'm just pleased to have a skilled opponent."

"This isn't a game of chess, though, Sergio! This is our _lives _you're playing with."

His expression sobered. "I know. I know, my love, don't worry. I do take this seriously."

He took her in his arms and kissed her, and she felt some of her worry melt away. Of course he knew what he was doing. She was probably overreacting because she was stressed and tired. She hugged him tight for a moment, and he hugged her back. Then he said:

"You can sleep first. I'm not tired yet."

"Alright", she said, feeling the exhaustion of the day catch up with her now that the adrenaline was wearing off. "Wake me in six hours, or if you get too tired."

"I will."

She turned away from him and opened her bag to take out her toothbrush and pajamas.

"So she really had no suspicion of who you are?"

He sat down behind the screens. "No, why would she? And next time she'll trust me even more."

She froze. "_Next time_?"

"Yes?"

"You're going to meet with her _again_?"

"Well, we have no fixed plans or anything, but I'll go wait for her at Hanoi again. I've established contact now, I want to build on that."

"To what possibleend?!"

"If she trusts me, she might tell me things about the investigation. And the better I get to know her, the bigger the advantage I'll have over her in the negotiations."

"That's such a big risk to take for only a very vague possible payoff!"

"We don't know that, the payoff may be more significant than you think."

"I don't think you really believe that! You're trying to rationalize an irrational feeling, making up seemingly reasoned arguments because you won't admit to the real reason."

He raised his eyebrows. "And what's the 'real reason' according to you?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I think you just like the thrill of it. I think she intrigues you. She outsmarted you before and now you want to see if you can outsmart _her_." She shook her head. "She's a challenge and you simply can't resist that."

He shifted guiltily, and she knew she was right. His expression remained stubborn, however.

"Well, so what? It can't do any harm if I talk to her again."

She felt a stab of unease. Why was he fighting her on this, when she clearly made sense? Did he want to see her again so badly?

"But the _risk_, Sergio!"

He sighed. "We went over this before, Raquel, there's no real risk involved, how could she _possibly _know who I am?"

"You said yourself that she's so clever."

"But she'd have to be _psychic_ to figure out my identity."

She decided to let it go, since he clearly wasn't going to change his mind. She took a deep breath and told herself that this was part of who he was and she wasn't going to change him – nor did she want to.

"Alright", she said tiredly. "You're the mastermind, I'm sure you've calculated every risk. I'm going to bed."

She changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth, then went over to where he was sitting in front of the cameras to kiss him goodnight. When she got close, however, he held out a hand with a soft look in his eyes.

"Come here."

She dropped gratefully into his lap and he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head as she leaned against him.

"I know you're worried", he said. "I understand, and of course you're right that it's not without risk. But I promise I'll be careful. If I get the sense that she suspects me even in the least, I'll stay away from her."

She nodded silently, just enjoying his nearness.

"You were amazing today", he murmured in her ear, and she couldn't help but smile. "So calm, so steady. There's nobody I'd rather have by my side in this than you."

She cuddled closer to him and they talked softly about the events of the day for a while, going over the big moments, both good and bad. They concluded that, on the whole, this first day had been a success.

"Can you believe it?" he said quietly, nodding at the screens where the presses in the Mint could be seen working at full force. "We're doing it, Raquel, we're really doing it."

She smiled. "Yes, we are."

He sighed happily. "It all worked out exactly the way I planned it."

"Yes, yes", she chuckled, "you're a genius." She reached up a hand and stroked his beard appreciatively. "And a very handsome genius at that. You're the whole package, aren't you?"

"Funny", he said, looking down at her with a warm smile. "I was just going to say that about you."

She smiled and lifted up her face so he could press a long, soft kiss to her lips, and she felt with a rush of relief that they were in tune again. His arms around her were warm and comforting, and for the first time all day, she felt safe. She felt herself relax as she leaned her head against his shoulder and let her eyes close for just one moment, exhaustion washing over her. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

She didn't even notice it when he carefully lifted her and carried her over to the bed. He covered her with the blanket, then kneeled next to her and gently brushed a lock of hair away from her cheek. For a long moment, he just kept looking at her, then he reluctantly got up and went back to his screens. In the Mint, a new day was beginning.


	26. Monica: part 1

**Day 2 – noon – 52 million euros**

Raquel opened her eyes, still heavy with tiredness. For a moment, she was confused as to where she was, and she instinctively stretched out a hand to reach for Sergio, but he wasn't there. Then the events of the previous day rushed back to her and she was instantly wide awake. The first day of the operation had gone well, bringing them one step closer to success… and bringing them one step closer to the end of the heist, when their life together could really begin. She closed her eyes for a moment as she imagined them on a beach somewhere, when all of this would be over, when she would finally be able to start rebuilding a normal life, when she would finally, _finally_ be able to hold her daughter again. She took a deep breath – _one day at a time_ – then she sat up to see Sergio sitting in front of the screens, exactly where he'd been when she'd fallen asleep. He turned when he heard her stir.

"Good morning", he smiled. "How did you sleep?"

"Alright", she said, rubbing her face. "How long was I asleep?"

"Almost six hours", he said. "I was just about to wake you."

He walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the bed to give her a soft kiss.

"Hi."

"Hi", she smiled. "Everything under control?"

He nodded. "More or less."

"Good, then it's your turn to sleep now."

"In a little while, I'm not tired yet."

She frowned. "That's not possible, Sergio, you've been up for more than 30 hours now, and very stressful hours at that."

He waved a hand. "I'll sleep later."

"Alright, then catch me up on what happened. Did a hostage read the declaration to the police?"

"Yes, and it went fine."

"Have you been out at all?"

"Yes, a few minutes ago, I got you hot chocolate and churros."

She smiled in delight. "That's my favorite breakfast."

He smiled back. "I know."

"You're spoiling me."

"Nonsense."

She kissed his cheek.

"So what's the money situation?"

"We're at 52 million euros right now."

Her smile broadened. "You're going to be a very rich man soon."

He shrugged, smiling, a warm look in his eyes. "I've got you. What's a few hundred million euros compared to that?"

She shot him an amused look. "Why the flattery? Do you want something from me?"

He leaned in to nuzzle her ear. "I do. I always do. But we said we wouldn't."

He didn't get up, however, but began kissing her neck.

She groaned softly. "If we said we wouldn't, then what are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep next to you tonight", he said with his lips against her skin. "I need to kiss you for a bit."

She laughed as he pushed her back into the pillows.

"I need to kiss you here…" he said, pressing a kiss to her neck, "… and here…" a kiss to her chest, "and _most definitely _here…"

He nipped at her nipple through her top and she gasped and tried to push him away, laughing.

"Stop it! Go back to your screens!"

"Alright", he sighed. "Just one more…"

He pressed a long, soft kiss to her lips, then he sat up. He didn't move from the bed, however, looking down at her with an expression of longing.

"Go", she smiled, seeing him struggle with himself.

"Just _one _more", he said, bending down to kiss her again.

This time, the kiss lasted longer, and her hands came up automatically to tangle into his hair. She felt her body respond to him, and even though she knew she shouldn't, she started imagining how nice it would feel to have him on top of her, just for a few minutes… They broke apart and looked at each other, slightly breathless, and she knew he was thinking the exact same thing…

The next moment he was kissing her hard and she wrapped her arms around him, returning his kiss with enthusiasm. His hands were under her top, and she moaned against his lips as he pinched a nipple, the sensation of it going straight through her to start a fire between her legs. She pulled at his tie, then started on the buttons of his shirt… oh, she wanted him, she wanted him so badly…

Suddenly the phone rang, and they both jumped, instantly pulled back to reality. Raquel cursed inwardly as Sergio quickly got up.

"That must be the Inspector."

She pushed down her feeling of frustration as she watched him walk away from her, towards the ringing phone. He didn't pick up immediately, however, letting it ring while he calmly buttoned up his shirt again, redid his tie and put on his jacket, and she clearly felt the presence of the Professor manifest itself. He sat down at the desk, then picked up a square of red paper. Raquel quickly scrambled out of bed to put on her own headset so she could listen in, reminded again of how easily she could have been at the other end of that line, and how it would have been Angel adjusting his headset next to her instead of Sergio.

Sergio finally picked up the phone.

"Don't you think we have a rather special connection?" he started. "I was just going to call _you_."

Raquel threw him an annoyed look. Did he really have to flirt with this woman right after she'd interrupted them?

"Well", Inspector González said drily, "who else would you call in the middle of a hostage situation? Your grandmother? Your therapist? Actually, that might not be such a bad idea."

He grinned. "You think I need a therapist?"

"I think you have to be fairly delusional if you think you can pull off a heist like this, yes."

"Well", he said, steering the conversation back to the script he'd prepared. "Let's not allow that minor criminal fact to interfere with our relationship. I see this as an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?"

"To get to know each other. I'm sure if we'd met in a bar, you wouldn't have paid me any attention. Tell me, Inspector…"

He hesitated for a moment, smiling to himself, and Raquel knew what was coming. She'd tried so hard to get him to change the script here, but he'd stubbornly refused.

"_Why do you have to ask her that? What possible purpose could it serve?"_

"_Let's play out this conversation, you and me. Answer like you really would in that situation."_

"_Alright, ask me."_

"_Inspector, tell me… have you ever faked an orgasm?"_

_She hesitated for a moment, then said: "No."_

_He raised his eyebrows at her. "Is that true?"_

"_No", she admitted. "But what else am I going to say under the circumstances, surrounded by my colleagues?"_

_He smiled. "Exactly. And at that point, I can point out that you're lying to me, and get you to promise that you won't do it again. That gives me the moral high ground and the upper hand in the negotiation."_

"_What if she admits that she _has _faked an orgasm?"_

"_Unlikely, but if that happens, the same purpose is served: I can point out that she's a liar for doing so."_

Raquel still hated the stupid question – it made her cringe for her ex-colleague – but she had to admit that she was curious to see how Elena would handle it, after the astute way she'd turned his 'what are you wearing' question against him yesterday.

"… have you ever faked an orgasm?" Sergio asked.

The Inspector didn't hesitate. "If I were you, I'd also talk to my therapist about that tendency you have to ask women inappropriate questions."

He smiled. "Answer the question, Inspector. Have you ever faked an orgasm?"

"No", Elena answered, like Sergio had predicted she would. He threw Raquel a satisfied look and she rolled her eyes.

"Please, Inspector, don't lie to me. Take a moment to consider."

She snorted. "I'm not lying. I don't understand why women fake orgasms. If the men I sleep with are doing a bad job, I want them to know it."

Raquel raised her eyebrows at Sergio. _Now what?_ He looked annoyed as he pushed a button so the police wouldn't hear them.

"She's lying."

"Prove it", she said, amused.

He released the button and said sternly: "How can I trust you if you lie to me, Inspector? I don't believe you."

"What do I get out of faking an orgasm? A smug man who thinks he's all that and who won't try harder next time."

Sergio pushed the button again and threw Raquel a questioning look. She couldn't suppress a smile as she felt his Professor persona slip a little.

"I think she's telling the truth."

"Yes", he said. "I think she is."

"Good for her."

He swore softly. "There goes my strategy."

"Good", she said drily. "It was a stupid strategy to begin with."

Before he could think of something else to say, the Inspector cut in:

"Alright, I think I've indulged you long enough. Let's get to business. Why did you want to call me?"

Raquel saw him regain his composure as they got back to the script.

"Well", he said. "We need food and medicine. Insulin, Sertraline, albuterol, an abortion pill and sedatives."

"An abortion pill?" the Inspector asked, and Raquel's eyebrows shot up too.

He shrugged. "One of the hostages requested it. We all have personal problems, right?"

"Alright, we'll grant your requests."

"Good. The _Protección Civil _should make the deliveries, in clear bags to avoid hidden weapons. And now tell me… why did you want to call me?"

"First of all, I'd like to congratulate you. You handled the situation last night admirably. Putting all the hostages in the same clothes as the robbers… very clever."

Sergio smiled. "You're congratulating me on outsmarting you?"

"I like to give credit where credit is due. I can admire your organizational skills even if I don't agree with your goals."

Raquel noticed that Sergio looked rather flattered, but she felt like Elena was building up to something. And sure enough…

"There's just one thing, Professor", the Inspector continued. "If you brought over 60 extra jumpsuits and masks, not to mention a machine gun… that means this was all planned beforehand. That 'escape attempt' yesterday was faked, wasn't it? You were never planning on just robbing the Mint. You came prepared to stay for days. You're printing money."

Sergio's raised his eyebrows at Raquel, and she leaned over to push the button with a feeling of alarm.

"Damn", she said.

"I know", he nodded. "She would have figured it out sooner or later, but I didn't think it would be this fast."

On the other side of the line, the Inspector said:

"I'm taking your silence as a 'yes'. So let me tell you why I called you."

"I'm all ears", Sergio said.

"To give you a chance to surrender."

He chuckled. "And why would I do that?"

"Because I've got footage from inside."

Sergio shot Raquel an amused look, clearly thinking the Inspector was lying.

She continued: "I've got the identity of one of your crew members, and it won't be long until I figure out the rest."

He shook his head, smiling. "Inspector, I don't think…"

She firmly cut him off. "I can offer you a deal with the public prosecutor. There have been no casualties, so I'm authorized to reduce your sentence from 16 to 8 years, but only if you come out now."

"I don't think that's a fair deal. We'd lose."

"You've already lost, Professor. Even if you managed to get out of there, your faces will be everywhere. What will you do then?"

"Activate plan B."

"I see", she said mildly. "You think I'm bluffing."

"Frankly, yes."

"Fine", she said. "Let me prove to you that I am, in fact, telling the truth: you have 67 cell phones attached to the wall with Velcro."

She let that sink in for a moment, while Sergio and Raquel looked at each other in dismay.

"Listen, Inspector…" he tried, but she knew she'd won.

"No", she cut him off again. "I think we're done here. You have one hour to accept my offer."

She hung up, and all they were left with was the dial tone. They looked at each other in consternation.

"Fuck", Raquel breathed. "How could she know that?"

"They must have missed a cell phone", Sergio said, agitated. "One of the hostages is communicating with the police."

"This is serious", she said. "Call Berlin."

He nodded and dialed. On the camera images, they saw Berlin enter the room and answer the phone.

"Hello Professor, hello Lisbon."

Sergio lost no time. "They know about the phones we've taped to the wall."

On the camera, Raquel saw Berlin frown.

"There are no security cameras inside, are there?" Sergio continued.

"Of course not, only the ones we've installed."

Sergio was shredding his origami piece. Raquel reached out a hand and touched his arm, and he stopped.

"Then it was one of the hostages", she said. "You must have missed a phone."

"I don't think so", Berlin said.

"There's no other option!" Sergio said. "You have to find that phone, or we're screwed!"

"Let me punish them", Berlin said. "Either we scare them or they'll keep trying to be heroes."

"Punish them how?" Raquel asked suspiciously.

"Set an example", Berlin replied. "An execution, for example?"

"Are you mad?" Raquel said heatedly, at the same time that Sergio firmly said:

"No. Just find that phone."

Sergio moved to hang up, but Raquel raised her hand to stop him.

"Just a moment. Berlin, is it true that one of the hostages asked for an abortion pill?"

"Yes."

"Which hostage?"

"Mónica Gaztambide."

As Sergio hung up the phone, Raquel turned to him in disgust.

"An execution, seriously, what's wrong with him?"

She got up and flipped through the files they had on the hostages until she found the right one.

"Here", she said, "Mónica Gaztambide."

Sergio threw a look at the file. "Isn't she the one you thought was sleeping with the director of the Mint, Arturo Román?"

"Yes", she said. "So I guess we know who the father is."

She was scanning the screens.

"There she is, the one with the curly hair."

"That's the woman Berlin chose to make the declaration to the police this morning", Sergio said.

"She looks so scared", Raquel said softly. "Poor girl. What a situation to be in."

Sergio nodded silently, and she turned to him with a frown.

"This doesn't feel right, Sergio. She shouldn't make a life-changing decision like this when she's under so much pressure, she's not thinking straight."

He shifted uncomfortably. "I agree, but I don't think there's anything we can do. It's her decision, we need to respect that."

"Of course. But maybe someone could talk to her? We could ask Nairobi."

"Honestly, Raquel, I feel for her, but the priority of the team right now should be to find that missing phone."

"Yes", she nodded. "That's definitely our main problem. But I'm sure Berlin will find it soon."

"I hope so", he said dejectedly.

"Sergio", she said softly, taking his hand and squeezing it, "go to bed. You're exhausted."

He shook his head. "Not until they have that phone."

"Alright", she sighed. "I'm going to get dressed and get some coffee."

"No", he said. "I don't want you going outside, the entire area is crawling with police, any of whom would recognize you. I'll go."

He got up, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked down at her.

"It's going to be alright", she said gently. "This is only a minor set-back. We'll get through it."

He nodded and squared his shoulders. "Yes, you're right."

A soft look appeared in his eyes and he bent down to press a kiss to her lips. "Thank you."

Then he straightened up again and walked towards the door.

…

Sergio hurried back to the hangar, trying to suppress the feeling of panic rising in his chest. This was bad, this was _really _bad. He desperately needed to talk to Raquel. When he opened the door, however, he found Raquel and Tokyo shouting at each other.

"What happened?" he asked urgently, putting on his own headset.

"Berlin hurt Rio", Raquel quickly summarized, and then Tokyo was yelling in his ear.

"… and if anyone lays another hand on him, the next bullet will be aimed at one of you!"

He felt a cold anger as the Professor took over. "This is exactly why I wanted no personal relationships."

"You're one to talk!" Tokyo yelled back.

"I don't let my relationship cloud my judgment", Sergio said icily. "Control yourself, Tokyo."

"But Berlin hurt him! He _hurt _him!"

"Why?"

"Just because he made a stupid little mistake!"

"What mistake?" Sergio said sharply.

"It appears that Rio allowed a hostage to use her phone and the police accessed it", Raquel explained. "That's how they got the image of the phones on the wall."

Sergio cursed softly.

"It was a mistake!" Tokyo yelled. "Everybody makes mistakes, you can't go around hurting people for every little thing! We're supposed to be a team!"

Sergio's thoughts were racing, and he suddenly put two and two together.

"Well", he said coldly, "Your boyfriend's 'little mistake' may well cost us this operation. The police found out your identity, Tokyo, and Rio's too."

Raquel's eyes went wide.

"I was just out", Sergio continued, "and I saw your faces on the news. The police know who you are. They probably got a glimpse of Rio through that cell phone and worked from there. So no, Tokyo, this wasn't a 'little mistake'."

He hung up, and felt his anger fade together with the Professor as he looked at Raquel. He gave her a helpless look. They were quiet for a few moments.

"Looks like the Inspector was telling the truth, then", Raquel said finally.

He nodded, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "So it seems."

"Why were you gone so long?"

"Elena was in Hanoi again."

Raquel raised her eyebrows. "Oh, she's 'Elena' now?"

Sergio ignored that. "I tried to find out how much she knew about the team inside, but she didn't tell me anything useful."

"Of course she didn't, Sergio, and she won't! She doesn't know you!"

"She was quite friendly, though. I think I only need a few more meetings before she'll really trust me."

"I still think this is a bad idea!"

"You've made that abundantly clear, thank you."

"Sergio…"

He cut her off. "I don't want to have this discussion again. We have _actual _problems to deal with." He gave her an anguished look. "They found out their identities, Raquel. That wasn't supposed to happen."

"Well", she said firmly, "it's unfortunate, but there's nothing we can do about it now. We'll just have to make sure they're disguised when we get out of here. But if I were Elena, I'd try to get a message to Rio now, he's clearly a weak link because he's still so young. You should call him, Sergio, make sure he sticks to the script we gave him if the police contact him. He may be a little shaken up by what happened with Berlin."

He nodded. "Yes, I will."

She gave him a closer look. "Sergio, it was inevitable that some things would go wrong. This is a massive undertaking."

"But I planned everything so carefully. How could this happen?"

"Human error", she said. "There's no way to plan for that. You can control a lot of things, my love, but you can't control other people."

He didn't like that one bit. His life's work, in the hands of other people – irrational, emotional, impulsive people. So many grains of sand in the perfect, gleaming machinery of his plan, any one of them containing the potential to bring the whole thing to a grinding halt. He'd done his best to tell them what to do, how to act, but he now realized for the first time that they might simply… choose not follow his instructions. How many other bad choices would they make? The idea terrified him.

Raquel was observing him closely. "Go to bed, Sergio. Everything will look better when you're rested."

He shook his head. "Elena will call back in twenty minutes, I need to be awake for that."

"I can handle that conversation."

"You know I don't want you talking to the police. And anyway, I'm too worked up to sleep now."

"Then go and hit that punching bag for a bit, that should help."

He nodded and got up.

After twenty minutes, in which he worked off some of his frustration, washed himself, and had something to eat, he felt a little better, and he sat down to wait for the Inspector's next call with a renewed feeling of calm. When the phone rang, he was ready with another of his prepared lines.

"Your hour is up", Elena said. "What's your answer?"

"Inspector", he replied. "What games did you used to play as a child?"

There was a silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment Sergio thought the Inspector might be fed up with his questions and refuse to play. He hoped not – this was the fun part of the negotiations – so he smiled broadly when she decided to answer after all.

"I'm afraid I was a very boring child – I spent all of my time reading. Not unlike you, I think."

Sergio raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Me?"

"You were a very bookish child, too, weren't you?"

He looked at Raquel – how could she possibly know that? Raquel motioned at him to move the conversation along, but he had to know.

"Why do you think that?"

"Look at the way this operation was planned", she said. "Meticulously, with such attention to detail, and above all, so _elegant_. A victimless crime – you're not even robbing anyone. It's beautiful, really. You're an idealist, aren't you? You're not a violent criminal, you're not a butcher – you're a surgeon. A bookish boy with a big idea. Tell me if I'm wrong."

Sergio was impressed.

"So I think", the Inspector continued, "that 16 years in prison won't be very pleasant for you. Take my offer, Professor. Eight years, and you'll be out in six on good behavior."

Sergio smiled. "Well, thank you for the offer, Inspector, but I've talked this over with my associates and we're choosing _zero _years in prison instead."

"Sooner or later something on your end will go wrong", Elena said quietly. "And then 8 years of prison will turn into 30. Get out now, before that happens."

"I assure you that everything is under perfect control", Sergio said. "So I have no reason to accept your deal. We hold all the cards here, Inspector, so I'd like to make a few requests."

He started making his demands, asking for a truck and a boat, pretending that they didn't have an escape plan in place. She didn't buy it, however.

"You expect me to believe that you planned this whole thing but you don't have a plan to get out of there?"

He quickly improvised: "I knew that I would be able to count on your cooperation for that particular part of the operation. I promise you that you will get your 67 hostages, safe and sound, as long as I get what I requested."

He hung up, and Raquel frowned at him.

"Do you think she believed you?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. I hope she'll lose time trying to get that ship, but if she doesn't, we'll just move on to one of our other delaying tactics."

At that point, their attention was drawn to the screens: Berlin, Tokyo, Rio and Nairobi were gathered in the breakroom and seemed to be having an argument. When Tokyo drew her gun, Raquel quickly picked up the phone and called them. Rio answered.

"What's going on?" Raquel and Sergio both asked at the same time through their headset.

They saw Tokyo point her gun at Berlin.

"No", they heard her say in the background. "_You _tell them."

Berlin took the phone. "I've broken the first rule of the plan."

Sergio sharply looked up. "What?"

"I've killed a hostage. Well, it wasn't me, it was Denver, but he was following my orders."

Sergio froze, his brain refusing to absorb that information. _No_, he thought. _No, this isn't true. He's lying, he's joking, it _can't _be true. _Next to him, Raquel was shaking her head in disbelief, too, her eyes wide. _I'm dreaming, I misheard._

On the screen, Berlin grinned at Tokyo, who was still pointing her gun at him. "I thought it would be best to tell you personally."

As it suddenly hit him that this was really happening, Sergio felt like the floor dropped out from underneath him. Panic started rising inside his chest and he was breathing fast as he gripped the desk with shaking hands.

"That was the only red line", he said. "The _only _red line! You've fucked everything up, Berlin."

"I understand that you're shocked."

"You've fucked everything up", Sergio repeated. He was shaking hard now, feeling like he was falling, falling, falling… and then Raquel took his hand and squeezed it tight, and he held onto it like a lifeline. He looked at her and saw his own desperation mirrored in her face.

"She had a phone between her legs", Berlin continued. "Maybe she wanted to call her cousin Chelito, but personally I think she was going to call the police. There will be no more phones now, you can be sure of that."

"Who was she?" Sergio asked.

"Mónica Gaztambide."

"The pregnant girl?" Raquel whispered in horror. "Oh Berlin, how _could _you?"

Sergio couldn't speak. He just clung to Raquel's hand and stared at his brother's face on the screen, serene, unruffled. Who was this man – this monster – who spoke so calmly of killing a woman? He felt like a stranger.

"Will you punish me?" Berlin asked. "You should. I know you're an idealist, that you think they'll just give us the money if we ask politely. I know you want to be a good guy even if we do have explosives enough to blow this place up. But no more games now. You will have to punish me. Because if you don't have the guts, this won't end well. I've told you this many times throughout the years. It's not me who has a problem, it's _you_."

"Shut up, Berlin", Raquel said beside him, her voice low and dangerous. "You shut up _right now._"

"You're not like him, Lisbon", Berlin said. "You live in the real world, you know I'm right. He needs to show that he's a captain who can firmly hold the helm. I need to know he's someone I can put my faith in. You know he has to punish me – make sure he does it."

Sergio was still shaking, his mind racing with the implications, the horrible, horrible consequences. He never planned for this. Out of all the things he'd prepared for, this was the one scenario he'd never considered. Suddenly he was back in the classroom in Toledo.

"_If there's even one drop of blood - and this is very important - if even one person dies, we're no longer Robin Hoods but simply bastards."_

He was only vaguely aware that Raquel was still talking next to him.

"You're a psychopath, you know that?!" she said angrily.

"I'm a realist", Berlin answered calmly.

Raquel looked like she had _much _more to say, but she glanced at Sergio and seemed to decide that there were more urgent things right now than yelling at Berlin.

"Nobody knows about this woman right now", Berlin continued. "The plan can go ahead."

Sergio finally found his voice. "They'll ask for proof of life soon, though."

"Within three days", Raquel confirmed. "Congratulations, Berlin. You just set a time bomb under this whole operation. I hope you're fucking proud of yourself."

And she hung up the phone with a bang.

Sergio stared straight ahead. He felt like his carefully laid plans were crashing to the ground around him, and he could hear his hopes shatter. Dead. Someone was _dead_. Mónica Gaztambide – they had seen her on the screens mere hours ago. She'd looked so scared. As he saw her face in his mind's eye, there was a sharp pain in his chest and suddenly he couldn't breathe, his mind a swirling vortex of panic and shock. A darkness was gathering at the edges of his vision. He desperately tried to summon the confidence and calm of the Professor, longing to trade the mess of his emotions for cool rationality, but just as he felt the persona manifest, Raquel put a hand on his arm.

"Sergio", she said softly but insistently. "This isn't your fault."

To his distress, he felt her touch crack open the hard shell of the Professor to reveal Sergio again, vulnerable and in pain. He didn't want to be Sergio right now, he needed to be strong, he needed to _think, _he couldn't let emotions cloud his mind. He had to get out of here, he needed distance, he needed clarity. He stood up.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Berlin was right", he said through numb lips. "I have to punish him."

"I agree", she nodded. "He has to be removed from command right now."

He shook his head. "No, I can't do that."

"Yes you can. Call the team, have him tied up, put someone else in charge."

"Nobody else is suited to lead this operation."

"Berlin isn't either! He went against your explicit orders!"

"He made a mistake. He'll be punished accordingly."

"A _mistake_? Sergio, it's not like he tripped and his gun went off! He ordered this woman to be killed in cold blood! That's not a mistake!"

"Yes it is", he said stubbornly. It had to be, it _had _to be a mistake. His brother wasn't – he wasn't a _murderer_. "I just need to show him he has to respect my rules and it won't happen again."

"How can you _possibly _be sure of that?"

"I know him", Sergio said simply. "I know he won't disobey orders again. I'm… I'm sure he regrets this."

She gave him the most skeptical look. "That's really not what it sounded like."

He went over to the cupboard where he kept small items with everybody's DNA and took out the container that held a button off his brother's coat.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Berlin's DNA. I'm going to Toledo to plant it in the house. In a few days, we'll lead them there and they'll uncover his identity. That's his punishment."

She stood up in alarm. "Sergio, you are _not _getting on that bike when you're this sleep-deprived!"

He gave her a desperate look. "I _have _to, Raquel, I… I can't stay here right now, I…" His voice broke. "I _can't_."

She came closer to him with a soft look in her eyes. "I understand, but really, it's too dangerous for you to drive now. Please try to sleep first, _please_."

His eyes were burning. "I can't."

She reached out a hand, but he brushed it away and walked past her. If she touched him right now, if she tried to hold him, if she said _one thing _to comfort him, he knew he would shatter into a thousand pieces and how would he put himself back together then? She seemed to realize that he needed some time to cope, because she didn't try to stop him again when he put on his leather jacket and picked up his helmet.

"Please be careful", she said softly.

He nodded. "Don't talk to the police while I'm gone."

"I won't."

He kept seeing Mónica's scared face as he walked out the door and towards his bike. Dead, dead, dead. When he got on, his guilt suddenly overwhelmed him and he needed a moment to steady himself, drawing deep, shaking breaths. Everything was going wrong, everything was falling apart around him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. A gunshot echoed through his head and he flinched. Dead, dead, dead. He gazed down at his trembling hands. They looked red with blood.


	27. Monica: part 2

She watched him go, the man she loved, she watched him walk through the door with his shoulders hunched in pain and her heart bled for him. She was shocked too, but she'd always known that this might happen, that not everyone might make it out of this alive. Not Sergio, though. She knew he'd believed – he'd truly believed – that this would be a clean operation, that nobody would suffer any serious consequences. An idealist, both the Inspector and Berlin had called him. Yes, she thought, he was that, and she loved him for it. She realized with a stab of sorrow that he would never be the same again after this.

She moved back to the screens and was just in time to see the team carry Moscow into the break room and put him on the couch. _Oh no_. She called them, and Nairobi explained he'd collapsed after hearing that Denver had shot the hostage. Of course, she thought. This didn't just impact Sergio, it impacted all of them. She grimaced – she couldn't even imagine how Denver must be feeling, the guy wasn't a killer, and she felt another rush of anger at Berlin for turning him into one. She realized with a sinking feeling that they would all walk away from this different people, with scars and wounds and memories they would have to live with for the rest of their lives. She'd known that – on some level she'd always known that – but it was different now that she was faced with it directly, and she felt a sick sense of dread as she wondered how much worse it was going to get.

The others left the breakroom, and after a while, she watched Denver help up Moscow and take him out of the room again. She assumed that they were going to the bathroom, but as she flipped through the other camera images, she saw Denver collect a group of hostages, and she frowned. Where was he taking them? She followed their progress through the building, mystified, as they went up floor by floor. Then there was only one floor left and she suddenly realized where they were going – but, no, that couldn't be, right? They couldn't be _that _stupid? Her eyes went wide as she realized that Denver _was _in fact that stupid, and that he was taking the hostages out on the roof, where they would be open targets for the snipers undoubtedly waiting for them on the buildings across the street.

Firmly suppressing a growing feeling of panic, she quickly picked up the phone and called the breakroom. Nairobi came in and picked up.

"Yes?"

"Denver is taking hostages out on the roof!" Raquel said urgently.

"What? Why?!"

"I don't know, just stop him!"

Nairobi put down the phone and ran out of the room. Raquel could only look on helplessly as she watched the hostages realize, too, where they were going, then one of them started arguing with Denver – Arturo Román, she realized, the director of the Mint, who was probably feeling deeply hostile towards Denver after Mónica's death. Raquel watched the argument with bated breath, afraid that it might get out of hand. A minute later, thankfully, Nairobi came into view, shouting at Denver, and Raquel breathed a sigh of relief: the situation was under control now. Nairobi was gesturing furiously at Denver, and though Denver was arguing back, Raquel trusted that Nairobi wouldn't let them step out onto the roof under any circumstances.

Then a movement from one of the hostages caught her eye and she immediately tensed again: Arturo Román clearly decided to make use of Denver's distraction, and to Raquel's horror, he suddenly made a grab for Denver's gun – her fingernails were digging into her palms – there was a struggle – her breathing stopped – the hostages on the screen were panicking – then suddenly the gun went off and Román fell to the floor and lay horribly still.

Raquel could only stare at the screen, numb. No.

Denver kneeled down next to Román and shook him. No.

Moscow was leaning against the wall, his hand pressed to his chest. _No. _

There was a ringing in her ears. This couldn't – this couldn't be happening. Not another one, please not another one.

On the screen, other members of the team came running, drawn by the sound of the gunshot. To Raquel's infinite relief, she suddenly saw Román stir, and he was picked up by Oslo and Helsinki and carried into the breakroom, where Nairobi picked up the phone. Raquel scrambled to do the same, connecting her to Nairobi.

"He needs a doctor!" she yelled immediately. "We can't have another dead hostage, goddammit, get us a doctor _now_!"

"I will", Raquel said, pushing away her fear and shock as she felt a strong sense of purpose come over her, and with it a feeling of focus and calm. She knew what she had to do.

She put down the phone and immediately picked it up again to dial the number of the command center. Inspector González answered at the first ring.

"Hello, Professor."

Raquel didn't correct her – she knew the voice software would conceal her voice completely, making her sound exactly like the Professor, and she thought it better if the police didn't know that the team had two people on the outside. She lost no time.

"A hostage has been shot", she said. "He's alive but hurt. I need a medical team in the Mint immediately."

"You shot a hostage?" Elena said, alarmed.

"It was an accident, he grabbed at a gun. Medical team, _now_!"

"Send him out", the Inspector demanded. "So we can treat him properly."

Raquel grimaced at the thought of letting one of their most important hostages go if it wasn't absolutely necessary. She'd send him out if she had to, but not without a fight.

"No, it wouldn't be safe to move him", she said.

"Are you a doctor now?" the Inspector snapped. "How could you know that?"

"Are you willing to risk it?" Raquel said heatedly. "My team has no experience in moving injured people, do you want him to die on his way to the ambulance?"

"Then let me send in the paramedics with a stretcher so they can move him safely."

"We're not letting in a bunch of people with equipment that might conceal weapons. Send in a medical team, no more than three people, small bags of equipment only."

"He'd still get much better treatment if you…"

"Inspector!" Raquel said sternly. "Every second you argue, a man is losing blood!"

"Fine", the Inspector said curtly, "Fine, I'll send in a medical team. But what do I get in return?"

Raquel's eyebrows went up. "What you get is a hostage who won't die on your watch!"

"If I'm not mistaken, he's dying on _your _watch. And I don't think you want that at all – you want a victimless crime, right? Moreover, you want to keep public opinion on your side. Do you think that will happen if he dies?"

Raquel cursed silently at Elena's accurate assessment of the situation.

"So I want something in return for sending in the medical team", the Inspector continued. "There's a woman among your hostages who's eight months pregnant – she shouldn't be in this situation. Let her go."

Raquel hesitated, thinking fast. She'd been feeling uncomfortable about the pregnant woman, and she was tempted to send her out, but a released hostage would be able to give the police important information. She bit her lip – no, she would have to use a different strategy. She knew Sergio had been keeping this a secret so it could be used against the police at some point, but she felt like she had no choice but to play this card now.

"Inspector", she said firmly, "you should know that I'm recording this conversation. If you refuse to send in the medical team, I will leak it to the press and all of Spain will know that you refused to save a hostage."

There was a pause on the other side of the line, and Raquel held her breath. Then…

"The medical team will be there asap."

…

Sergio drew his bike up to the curb beside the hangar, feeling haggard and exhausted and numb. He'd spent much of the drive back to Madrid thinking about Raquel's suggestion to remove his brother from command. Of course she didn't know Berlin was his brother, and he felt like that was a good thing: it meant that her view of the situation was more objective than his own. He feared that his vision on the matter was clouded by feelings of personal loyalty – see, this was why there shouldn't have been any personal relationships between the members of the team. How could he know if he was only keeping Berlin in charge because he was his brother or because he truly felt that he was the most capable person for the job? On the other hand, he still believed that Berlin was the most likely to stay loyal to him if things went wrong, specifically _because _they had a personal bond. And then there was the plan: he'd never envisioned the possibility that his brother would have to be removed from command, so he had no plan B in place, and the consequences of removing him could be so far-reaching. He couldn't just make an impulsive decision about something so important, he needed to think it through, weigh the pros and cons, maybe sleep on it, because he felt like he wasn't thinking straight anymore.

He hesitated outside the door of the hangar. He didn't want to go back in – he wanted to take Raquel and go back to the house in Toledo, turn back the clock to a simpler time, a time when he'd been hopeful and happy, before he had this atrocity on his conscience, before his brother became a murderer. Things would never be that simple again, he knew, and the thought filled him with a desperate sadness. How could he face Raquel again after this? He'd promised her – right from the beginning he'd promised her – that nobody would suffer because of this heist, that nobody would be harmed, and he'd let her down so horribly. How would she look at him now? What could he find in her eyes except reproach and disappointment?

He took a deep breath and opened the door. The moment he stepped over the threshold, he knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" he asked, hurrying up to her.

She turned to him and the look on her face made him freeze.

"What happened?" he repeated in a whisper.

"It… it will probably be alright, Sergio, but… another hostage has been shot."

The world around him reeled alarmingly, and he had to put a hand on the table to steady himself.

"Dead?"

"No", she hastened to clarify, "but pretty badly wounded."

"I have to call the command center", he said dazedly, reaching for his headset. "We need a medical team."

"I already did that", she said. "The medical team is on its way."

He looked up sharply. "You called the command center?"

"Yes."

He felt a spark of hot, irrational anger strike inside him, igniting all the frustration and pain and panic that was already there.

"I told you you shouldn't talk to the police, Raquel!"

"I know, but the situation…"

"Do you _understand _the risk you took? If the voice software had malfunctioned for even a _second_, Angel would have recognized your voice! How could you be so reckless?"

She stood up now, angry. "Sergio, you do understand that a man is _bleeding to death _in there? I had no choice!"

"You always have a choice!"

"I'm not letting someone _die _because…"

"Raquel!" he cut her off. "Keeping you safe is more important than _anything_ else!"

"This isn't about keeping me safe!" she yelled. "This is about _you _not wanting to surrender even an _ounce _of control to anyone else!"

"That's not true", he said defensively. "I left you in charge just now."

"To keep an eye on the cameras, yes, but I'm not allowed to do anything _important_. You don't trust me! It can't work that way, Sergio, if I'm here alone I _need _to be able to act when necessary!"

He glanced at the screens. "The medical team is entering."

They both turned to the camera images, where they saw several members of the team pointing guns at the people who were entering. Suddenly Raquel caught her breath.

"That's Angel!"

Sergio looked up sharply. "Are you sure?"

"Zoom in!"

He did so, and she nodded. "Yes, it's him, I'm sure!"

He straightened slowly, his anger and frustration fading away as he was flooded with a deep feeling of satisfaction.Yes… _yes! _He was right, he _knew _it would happen! He punched the air with a fierce sense of triumph. _Finally _something was going right again! Beside him, Raquel looked decidedly less enthusiastic, but he didn't really notice it as he quickly picked up the phone and called the Mint. Berlin answered.

"There's a police officer entering with the doctors."

"Which one?"

"The one with the glasses. You know what to do. And Berlin, this needs to be handled _perfectly."_

Berlin nodded and put down the phone, then marched to the entrance hall. Sergio and Raquel watched with bated breath as a mic was placed in the glasses of an unsuspecting Angel. The medical team set up their material as Román was brought out, then they watched as the doctors removed the bullet. Finally, Román was patched up and the medical team left again, including Angel. Sergio felt a surge of excitement as he turned on the radio connected to the mic. For a moment, nothing happened, but then they heard the voice of the Inspector, loud and clear.

"How is the hostage?"

"He'll be fine", Angel said.

Oh, this was amazing, this was _fantastic_, this was the best thing that could possibly happen to them and the police had _no idea_. He turned to Raquel with shining eyes and a broad grin, but she was frowning at the radio, and his smile faded.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just…", she said, grimacing. "Well, we assumed at some point someone would try to infiltrate and we might be able to plant a bug on him, I just… I just hadn't thought that it might be Angel."

He felt a stab of annoyance, though the told himself her reaction was understandable. "I know he was your colleague, Raquel, but this is a great thing for us."

"I know", she said. "I know."

"We talked about doing this", he said softly. "You agreed it was a good idea."

She sighed. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

He nodded. "That's true. I respect that."

She gave him an uneasy look. "It's just… Angel could get into real trouble for this. If they start suspecting him, he'll get fired."

"It's a sacrifice we'll have to make. This could be _vital _for the success of the operation."

"I know", she said, and he could see her shake off her unease. "You're right, this is a great thing for us. And about time, too – we needed a win after today."

He flinched, suddenly reminded of the thing that had been driven out of his mind by the excitement surrounding the medical team. Dead, dead, dead. He took a deep breath – no, _no, _he couldn't think of that now, he had to push it aside, he had to focus, _focus. _With an effort of will, he directed his attention entirely to the radio to hear Angel describe what he had seen inside, which wasn't that much, but it served to keep Mónica from his mind. A little later, he went out to get them food, then they spent the evening listening in on what was happening in the command center and keeping an eye on the screens. After a while, most people in the tent went home and Angel and Elena seemed absorbed in reading, because they could only hear background chatter, nothing distinguishable. Sergio relaxed a bit, then glanced guiltily at Raquel.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier. Of course you did the right thing calling the command center to ask for that medical team."

She nodded. "Thank you."

"I'm… I'm not myself today."

"I understand", she said softly. "Sergio…"

He grimaced. "Please don't."

"We have to talk about it."

He shook his head. "Please, not… not right now."

"You can't deal with this alone, you have to…"

He held up his hand. "They're talking again."

On the radio, Angel and Elena were discussing the files they'd read. Raquel and Sergio listened intently, but heard nothing of particular interest. Finally they heard the Inspector say:

"You should go home, Angel, you're tired."

"Yes, you're right."

They heard Angel get up, then he said:

"You should go home too, Elena."

"No", she said, "I'm going to go over these files again, there may be something I've missed."

"Then I should stay too."

"No", she said, "you need to sleep."

"You need to sleep too at some point."

"I'll sleep for a few hours in the other tent."

"A few hours isn't enough. Who knows how much longer this will take?"

"Not that much longer if I can help it."

"Still…"

"Angel", she said firmly, "Go home."

Angel left the tent, meaning they wouldn't hear anything worth hearing anymore, so they turned off the radio.

"She's overworking herself", Sergio said. "Good. The more tired she is, the more likely it is that she'll make a mistake."

Raquel hesitated. "She doesn't seem like the kind of person who makes a lot of mistakes."

"Everyone makes mistakes. She's making a mistake right now by not sleeping."

Raquel threw him a sharp glance. "Does that remind you of someone, by any chance?"

He looked at her, confused. "Who?"

"_You_, Sergio! You've been awake for 40 hours straight and you criticize _her _for not sleeping?"

He fidgeted, knowing she was right. His eyes were burning, his head was fuzzy, his body was aching. But if he stopped focusing on the heist, what thoughts would invade his mind instead?

Raquel shot him a soft look. "Go to bed, Sergio."

"I… I don't think I'll be able to sleep."

"At least put on your pajamas and try."

He did as she said. As he undressed, he tried to clear his mind of all thoughts, to focus only on his breathing, but now that the chatter on the radio wasn't filling his head anymore, the events of the day came crashing back to him mercilessly. Her eyes, her frightened eyes. _I've killed a hostage, _he heard his brother say again,_ Mónica Gaztambide. _As he buttoned up his pajamas his hands started shaking again as he relived that moment. He felt like there was a darkness gathering all around him, obscuring his vision, and no matter where he looked, he could see no way out. She was dead, she would never live again. She would never smile or see the sun again. She'd died, alone and afraid, because twenty years ago, he'd had an idea and he'd allowed it to consume him. He'd been blinded by his own cleverness, unable to see beyond the abstract perfection of his plan to the possible human cost behind it. The darkness around him intensified until he couldn't bear it anymore – he sank down on the bed and buried his face in his hands. He'd never felt so lost.

He heard her get up from behind the desk, then she kneeled down before him and gently pulled his hands away from his face.

"Sergio", she said softly, "it wasn't your fault."

"She must have been so scared", he whispered.

For a moment, he saw his own sorrow and anguish reflected in her eyes.

"I know", she said. "I know, my love, and it's horrible, but you can't blame yourself. This was Berlin's doing."

"But who put Berlin in charge?"

"You did that with the best of intentions. You didn't know that he was capable of… of this."

"No", he whispered. "I had no idea."

"So this isn't your fault."

He looked down at his hands. "Raquel. This is my operation. I planned all of this, I put it in motion, I chose to execute it. If I hadn't done that, this woman would still be alive. There's no denying that. An innocent person died, and what for? Not even for money – I don't care about the money. She died because I had a brilliant idea and I wanted to see if it would work. So just because it isn't my _fault_ doesn't mean it isn't my _responsibility_. Because it is. Ultimately, I'm the one to blame. I killed her."

Tears were burning behind his eyes, tears of guilt and helplessness and exhaustion. She was quiet and he didn't dare look up at her, afraid of what he would see in her eyes, afraid that it would be accusation or horror or disgust. How could she ever look at him the same way again? What would she think of him now? The darkness pressed in, weighing on him like a heavy blanket. Would she – could she still love him after this?

"If you want to leave, I understand", he whispered. It took all the strength he had to say it, but he felt like he owed her that, at least.

"Leave?" she said sharply. "Why would I leave?"

"You never signed up for this", he said, still looking down. "You trusted me when I promised you nobody would get hurt. I failed you, I failed you so badly. I'm not the man you thought I was, I allowed this to happen, and now… now I have blood on my hands. You'd be perfectly within your rights to walk away. You'd be perfectly right to love me less."

She took his face between her hands and made him look up at her. He was struck by the expression in her eyes. He'd never seen her so serious.

"Sergio", she said. "I don't love you less. You're not capable of doing anything that would make me love you less. I _see _you. I know who you are, and you are not a killer. Questions of guilt and responsibility are so complex, my love. How far back in the chain of events can we go to assign blame? Is the manufacturer of a gun to blame if that gun is used to kill people? This operation was created by you, yes, but the moment we set it into motion it took on a life of its own, and the people involved make autonomous decisions that are beyond your control. To what point, then, are you to blame? As far as I see it, it's our intentions that count more than the unintended consequences of our actions. Nobody can foresee those… not even you."

"But I _should _have foreseen this, Raquel. The choices I made _clearly_ had the potential of harming others, and I made them anyway. That makes me responsible."

She nodded thoughtfully. "In a way. And yet, so many of our actions have the inherent potential of causing harm. Every time I get into my car, I have the potential of hitting someone with it. It doesn't mean I shouldn't do it."

"It's a question of degree, though. The possibility that someone would get hurt in this operation was very high."

"But that's where this gets so tricky", she said. "How much risk are you allowed to take before something becomes your fault? Where's the line between innocent and guilty? I'm not saying you're entirely blameless, Sergio. But maybe there's a grey area between complete innocence and complete guilt, and I think that's where you're at. So by all means, my love, take part of the responsibility for this, but don't take on more than you deserve. You didn't give that order. You didn't pull that trigger. You didn't kill that woman."

He looked into her eyes and he saw complete conviction there, nothing but trust and acceptance and love. Why was she so good to him? What had he done to deserve her? This stupid heist had obscured his vision, but he suddenly saw her clearly again. His partner, his love. Raquel. She was his beacon, his north star, a brilliant, shining light guiding him back to himself, and he felt the darkness around him retreat in the blaze of her presence. She didn't shrink from him, she didn't walk away – she was right here beside him braving the storm, and he was overcome by an all-consuming gratitude that made him take her hands and kiss them.

"What would I do without you?" he whispered. "What would I do without you, Raquel?"

Tears were beginning to slide down his cheeks. She pulled him close and he finally allowed her to hold him, her warmth and nearness an inexpressible comfort to him as he cried.

"My love", she said softly. "You're so exhausted. You're so, so tired. You have to sleep now, please, you _have _to."

"I don't know if I can", he said, his voice cracking. "I keep seeing her face."

"Then let me give you something to help you sleep. You can't keep going like this, Sergio, you need _rest_."

He shook his head. "I can't take a sleeping pill, then you won't be able to wake me if something happens."

"Whatever happens", she said, "I can handle it."

"No, I should…"

"Sergio", she said firmly. "I can handle it."

She got up and came back with a glass of water and a little white tablet, which she held out to him.

"Take it."

He shot an anxious look at the screens.

"It's evening", she said. "The hostages are sleeping, the police have gone home. It will be fine."

When he still hesitated, she sat down next to him on the bed.

"Sergio", she said softly. "You can't do this alone. You can't be in control all of the time. You're going to have to trust me."

He looked into her eyes, so calm, so steady. He'd always faced the world alone, he'd never had anyone but himself to really count on, and he suddenly realized that he hadn't made the mental shift yet to truly comprehend that that was no longer the case. But he felt it now, he felt it so deeply. He wasn't alone anymore – he would never be alone again – she would always be by his side and he would always be by hers, come what may. The realization was so profoundly moving, so world-changing, that he was unable to speak.

She held the tablet out to him again and asked: "Do you trust me?"

"With my life", he whispered, then he took the tablet and swallowed it.

He could clearly see the relief in her eyes. "Thank you."

He pulled her closer to him and leaned his forehead against hers. They stayed like that for several long moments, their eyes closed, just connecting. Then they broke apart and he put his hand against her cheek.

"I love you", he said. "I may not always show it, but it will always be true."

She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. "I love you too. Now and always. No matter what."

He nodded. "No matter what."

"And now you really have to sleep, my love."

He got under the blankets, then looked up in surprise as she kicked off her shoes and joined him.

"No", he protested weakly, "you should go and watch the screens."

She shook her head. "I'm staying with you. Just for a moment. Just until you're asleep."

The next moment, she was in his arms, and he wanted to cry with the sheer, utter bliss of it. Holding her close, feeling her body nestle itself against his, her warmth, her scent – it all soothed him so much more than any sedative ever could, and he finally allowed himself to surrender to his exhaustion as he slowly felt his tension fade away.

"Raquel?" he murmured.

"Yes?"

"I'm so grateful you're here."

She hugged him even closer, and the last thing he was aware of was a warm glow of thankfulness as he drifted off to sleep in her arms.

…

She waited until she was sure he was fast asleep, then she carefully disengaged from him, got up and returned to the desk, a grim expression on her face. She picked up the phone and pressed the button for the Mint. On the screen, Tokyo walked into the breakroom and answered.

"Tokyo", Raquel said. "I need to talk to Berlin."

"He's sleeping."

"I don't care, wake him up."

Tokyo left, and a few minutes later a rather sleepy-eyed Berlin appeared and took up the phone.

Raquel lost no time.

"Do you have _any idea _what you've done to him?"

"Now listen, Lisbon…"

"No", she cut him off, her voice fierce but low, so she wouldn't disturb Sergio. "You listen to _me_. I don't know what kind of power game you're playing, but you will stop it _right now_. This heist isn't an opportunity for you to show that you have the biggest dick in town. You endangered the entire operation today, you made a murderer out of an innocent man and you hurt the man I love, and I tell you _I will not stand by idly_ for more of this. If you do something like this again, Berlin, I _swear to god_ I will personally make sure you won't live to enjoy your money after this is all done, and that's a promise."

He grinned broadly. "Don't bother, love, I won't have much time to enjoy my money anyway."

"What does that mean?"

"That my own muscles are killing me. Saves you the trouble."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I've got myopathy. Genetic, incurable. I'll be dead within the year."

That made her fall quiet, stunned.

He raised his eyebrows. "But if you want to keep yelling at a dying man, go ahead."

"Are you making this up?"

He snorted. "I wish."

She hesitated, feeling her fury evaporate as she took in this new information. Then it suddenly hit her that he was only telling her this to manipulate her, and her anger flared again.

"Just because you're dying doesn't give you the right to decide over other people's life and death, you fucking psychopath!"

He looked up at the camera, a challenging look. "In here, Lisbon, I'm in charge."

"I outrank you, Berlin, and don't you forget that."

"You're out there, though. What are you going to do to stop me?"

She felt a cold fury like she'd never felt before. She knew he couldn't see her, but she leaned closer to the screen anyway, her voice carefully controlled as she said:

"One more misstep, Berlin. One more wrong move like this, and I will call Helsinki and Oslo, and I will order them to tie you up, blindfold and gag you and put you in an isolated room for the rest of this heist. Don't think I won't."

"You think they will listen to you over me?"

"They will if they want their share of the money. Don't make the mistake of thinking their loyalty to you is stronger than that."

"Who would you put in charge instead?"

"Nairobi", she said without hesitation.

He nodded appreciatively. "Good choice."

"_This is not a game_, Berlin!"

He shook his head. "No, I realize you're deadly serious."

"You bet I am. One more toe out of line and you're _done_. Do I make myself clear?"

He straightened his shoulders, and she suddenly realized that this was the kind of language he respected.

"You do", he said. "I'll stick to the plan."

"Good", she said coldly, then she hung up.

On the screen, she watched him smile and leave, and she kept staring at the empty room as she felt her anger drain away. So Berlin was dying. Only yesterday, that information would have made her feel sorry for him, but right now she couldn't manage even a shred of sympathy. She felt so empty. Even if Berlin stuck to the plan now, she had a feeling that this heist was going to cost them more than they were willing to pay, that it would have consequences they hadn't foreseen and weren't prepared for, that it might hurt them in ways they couldn't recover from. She turned in her chair to look at Sergio, finally sleeping, and she felt a fierce surge of resolve. No. She wouldn't let this destroy him, she wouldn't let this destroy _them_. They were stronger than this, they would get through this, together, scarred and bleeding maybe, but _goddammit _they would see that beach. He would take her hand and they would watch the sunset together and all of this would just be a nightmare, chased away by the wind in the palm trees, by barefoot walks and kisses by starlight. They would have all of that and more. A life beyond anything she'd ever dreamed of, almost within reach. Almost. Just nine more days. Nine more days, and it would be theirs.


	28. Relief

**Day 3**

He woke up because she was softly squeezing his hand and saying his name. His mind was slow to respond – he'd been sleeping unexpectedly well, probably thanks to the sleeping pill Raquel had given him. He blinked his eyes open and the first thing he saw was her smile, the best thing he could possibly wake up to, and he felt an overwhelming desire to pull her into the bed with him, to wrap his arms around her and breathe her in and not let her go all day – all week – all of his life. He rubbed his eyes and regretfully pushed the impulse away.

"Good morning", she said.

"Good morning. What time is it?"

"Four o'clock."

He frowned. "You should have woken me an hour ago."

"I figured you could use the extra hour. You were so exhausted."

He sat up to kiss her. "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" she asked him tentatively.

Suddenly, the fog of sleep left his brain as the events of the previous day came rushing back to him and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he remembered… dead, dead, dead. She squeezed his hand more tightly, and once again he was so grateful that she was here with him, that he didn't need to bear this alone. The guilt he felt threatened to overwhelm him again, but unlike yesterday, he found that he now had the strength to push it away.

He looked up at her. "I'm okay. Better than yesterday, in any case."

"I'm glad", she nodded. "I knew you needed to sleep. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No", he decided. "No, I think we've said all there was to say on the matter. And now you need to sleep, you must be tired too."

She put on her pajamas as he got out of bed – it was so weird to him that they now slept at different times. He wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and hold her as she slept, but he knew that was impossible, so he let her kiss him goodnight and then he settled himself in front of the screens. Everything was quiet in the Mint, only a few hostages working shifts around the presses while the others slept, so he had plenty of time to think. The guilt he was feeling over the death of Mónica Gaztambide hadn't gone, but he was better able to handle it now, to put it away in a corner of his mind to deal with later, so he could focus on the rest of the operation. He knew they were operating on borrowed time now – at some point, probably within 48 hours, the police would ask for proof of life for all the hostages, and once they discovered that a hostage was dead, they wouldn't hesitate any longer to try and enter the Mint by any means necessary. So his main goal over the next few days would be to delay the police question for proof of life for as long as possible, and by any means necessary. Because if it happened before the tunnel was open, his team would be trapped inside.

Around 7.30, he turned on the transmission for Angel's bug again, and at 8 he heard Angel enter the command center. From that point onwards, all of Sergio's attention was on the radio, to hear what the police were discussing. He briefly got up from his desk at 10 to wake Raquel, motioning to her that they couldn't talk because he was listening to the transmission. She got dressed and took over from him at the desk so he could go out and get them breakfast, then they ate in silence, listening attentively and keeping one eye on the screens at the same time.

When the Inspector left to get coffee, things became quiet around Angel and they could finally talk.

"Did they say anything interesting while I was sleeping?" she asked.

"Angel came into work about two hours ago", Sergio said, then proceeded to catch her up on what had been happening inside the tent.

On the radio, meanwhile, the Inspector came back.

"Here you go, Angel", they heard her say. "Cappuccino, two sugars."

She snorted. "She'd better be careful. If she's this nice to him, he's going to fall in love with her before this is over."

Sergio shot her an amused look. "Why do you care?"

She showed him her most dignified expression. "I don't."

"I think you do", he teased her. "You said he was in love with _you_. I think you're a little jealous."

"Don't be ridiculous", she scoffed.

He chuckled and dropped the matter so they could listen in on the conversation again. After a while, both Angel and Elena started reading files and nothing else of interest could be heard, so it was safe to talk again. Raquel turned to him with a sober expression.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him again.

"I'm okay", he said. "I'm… I'm trying not to think about it. There's nothing I can do about it now, anyway. The main thing is that we have to try to keep the operation going for as long as we can until they ask for proof of life."

"Yes", she nodded. "We'll probably have to leave much sooner than we thought we would. Meanwhile, we have to try not to let anything else like this happen."

"Speaking of that…" he said. "What will we do about Berlin?"

"I had a talk with him last night after you fell asleep. I think he'll follow orders from now on."

"You talked to him?" Sergio said, a little alarmed. "What did you say?"

"I just reminded him who's in charge."

Her tone was light, but by the look on her face, Sergio suspected his brother had had rather an unpleasant time. She turned to him.

"Can I ask you something though?"

"Of course."

"How long have you known Berlin?"

He hesitated. "Uhm… a long time."

"Then you know him quite well?"

"I do."

She frowned at him. "Then you knew before you recruited him, right?"

"Knew what?"

"That he's a sociopath."

"Oh", he said, shifting uncomfortably. "That."

"The signs are all there: he's aware that his actions are wrong, but he clearly feels no regret. I don't think he feels empathy, either, and he has a terribly narcissistic personality."

It was painful to hear her describe his brother in that way. She had a point, though… Sergio had always been aware that Andrés had some serious flaws, but he was only now beginning to realize that his brother may not have shown the worst parts of his personality around him – either that, or he'd been blind to them.

"I've always known he's rather… unemotional, yes", he admitted.

"Then why did you put him in charge?"

"I thought it would be an advantage. Berlin stays calm no matter the circumstances. We needed someone with a cool head in charge."

"I agree, but there are people who can keep a cool head and still be humane. This is an operation where a lot of people are put in a vulnerable position. You should have put someone in charge who wouldn't abuse their power over them. If you've known Berlin for so long, you should have known that he's not that person. Why did you put him in charge, Sergio?"

He shifted uneasily under her scrutinizing gaze.

"I knew he would stay loyal, that he would follow the plan no matter what happened."

"He didn't, though, he ignored your direct orders. Why did you think he would stick to the plan any more than the others?"

"I have a good reason to trust him."

"Care to share it with me?"

He fidgeted, and she frowned.

"What are you not telling me?"

He hesitated, but she was asking him a direct question that he couldn't really answer without lying. He didn't want to lie to her.

"Sergio", she pressed, "why did you put Berlin in charge?"

He took a deep breath and pushed his glasses up his nose. He should have told her this a long time ago anyway.

"Because he's my brother."

She didn't react immediately, just stared at him.

"Are you joking?"

"No."

"He… he's your _brother_?"

"Yes."

"_Seriously?"_

"Yes."

He gave her a few moments to let the new information sink in. Then she asked the inevitable question:

"Why didn't you tell me this _earlier_?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm not entirely sure. Andrés and I just agreed right from the start that we wouldn't tell anyone that there was a personal bond between us."

"I understand that you didn't tell me right away, but we've been together for _weeks _now, Sergio! You could have mentioned it!"

"But if I'd told you that, you would have regarded him differently. It would have automatically created a personal relationship between the two of you, and I wanted to minimize those."

She raised her eyebrows. "Really, still? Even after you and me…"

"That's exactly my point!" he said. "You and me, that was bad enough! I didn't want to create even _more _personal relationships."

"I'm sorry", she said indignantly, "you and me was _bad enough_?"

He scrambled to correct himself:

"I didn't mean it that way."

She gave him a dark look. "Let's deal with the Berlin thing first. I still think you could have told me."

He nodded. "I understand. But personal relationships can get so terribly messy in an operation like this. Look at what happened with Tokyo on the first day: she shot and almost _killed _two cops because Rio got hurt and her emotions got the better of her. That's the kind of thing I wanted to avoid. I couldn't stop you and me from happening, but your relationship with my brother was something I could control."

"So you've just been lying to me?"

"I never lied", he said quickly. "I just didn't correct you when you called him my 'friend'."

"That's a very thin line", she grumbled. "Were you _ever _planning to tell me?"

"Of course I was. Just… after this was all over."

He saw comprehension dawn on her face.

"Oh! So _that's _why he's coming with us to Palawan!"

"Yes", he nodded.

Her expression suddenly became more sober. "Then… you know he's dying?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Yes, I know. How do _you _know?"

"He told me last night when we were talking. Honestly, I couldn't feel very sorry for him after what he did yesterday, but if he's your brother… Sergio, I'm sorry…"

He raised his hand with a pained expression. "Please don't."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I really don't. This isn't the right time, we're in the middle of a vast operation, I don't want to think about… _that…_ now."

She nodded. "I understand."

She put her hand on his arm for a moment and squeezed, and he shot her a grateful look. Then she leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows at him.

"So. Do you have any other family members on the team that I should know about? Is Rio actually your son? Are you secretly married to Tokyo?"

"Well", he said, "now that you mention it…"

She looked so alarmed that he chuckled and quickly amended:

"That was a joke, I'm joking! No more hidden family members, I promise."

On the radio, they heard Angel and Elena start talking again, so they quickly fell silent and listened.

"Are you going to call him?" Angel asked.

"Not yet", Elena said. "I'd rather he call me."

"Why?"

"Because the person who initiates the call is automatically in a weaker position."

Sergio nodded in agreement.

Elena continued: "I'll call him if he hasn't called us by eleven."

"Good to know", Sergio said. "Then let's make sure not to call her before eleven."

Raquel got up to stretch her legs while Sergio idly flipped through the different images from the cameras inside the Mint, watching the presses roll, the hostages at work or resting. Finally he reached the camera in the breakroom… and he froze. It couldn't be.

"Raquel…" he said, keeping his eyes on the screen. "_Raquel_!"

"What's wrong?" she said, hurrying up to him.

When she saw the screen, she stopped dead.

"Oh!" she said. "But… that can't be?"

And yet there she was, no doubt about it – her face would forever be imprinted on Sergio's memory. Mónica Gaztambide. Alive. _Alive_.

He turned to Raquel in disbelief, and he saw his own confusion mirrored in her face.

"Well, _call them_", she urged him, and he quickly picked up the phone as she reached for her headset.

Berlin answered.

"Berlin", he said. "What… when… _how_?"

"I know", his brother said, grinning. "It's been quite a journey for me too."

"How is this possible?" Raquel said.

"Denver disobeyed my order. He hid her in one of the vaults."

It was beginning to sink in for Sergio, he was beginning to realize what this meant – they were saved, the operation could continue, _he wasn't a killer_. He felt so relieved that it made him dizzy.

"Let me talk to her", he heard Raquel say, and the next moment, Mónica's voice was in his ear, sounding a little scared but alive, _alive_.

"Hello?"

"Say your name", they heard Berlin say next to her.

"Mónica Gaztambide."

"I'm so glad to see you're alive, Mónica", Raquel said. "Are you alright?"

"Yes", she said.

"Are you hurt in any way?"

"My leg. I got shot."

"Do you need a doctor?" Raquel asked urgently, but on the screen, Mónica was shaking her head.

"Denver took care of me."

Sergio finally found his voice again. "Put Denver on the phone, please."

Mónica handed the phone to Denver.

"Did you get the bullet out?" Sergio asked immediately.

"Nairobi did."

"Good", Sergio said, relieved. He didn't think Denver could have done a particularly good job. "Did she suture the wound the way I taught you?"

"Yes."

"Is there any sign of infection?"

"No, I don't think so."

"If you see any redness or swelling", Sergio said, "you call me immediately, understood?"

Denver nodded. "I will, but we used a lot of disinfectant and I'm changing the bandages regularly."

"Good", Sergio said. He wasn't about to lose her to gangrene now.

"Denver", Raquel said next to him, her voice soft. "You saved her."

On the screen, Denver looked rather embarrassed. "Yeah, well, I couldn't… I couldn't just shoot her."

"Well done", Raquel said. "Really, Denver, well done."

"Thanks", he mumbled, then handed the phone back to Berlin.

"So", Berlin said, coming straight to the point. "How about my punishment?"

"I've set things in motion", Sergio said coolly.

"Can you undo them?"

Sergio frowned. "I could, but I'm not sure I should. As far as I can see, she's not alive because of you. You still disobeyed me."

"And I've learned my lesson", Berlin said. "Lisbon and I had an interesting heart-to-heart yesterday, and she… _persuaded _me that it's not in my best interest to disobey you again."

Sergio shot a sideways look at Raquel. What the _hell _had she said to him? She shrugged, and Sergio turned back to his brother.

"I'll consider it", he said, then hung up.

On the screen, they watched Oslo carry Mónica out of the room, then they turned to each other. Her eyes were shining and she was grinning broadly, and he swept her into his arms and lifted her off the ground to spin her around, both of them laughing.

"Oh, this is _amazing_", she said, taking his face between her hands and kissing him over and over again. "Just _amazing_!"

He couldn't stop grinning as he put her back down, the entire world seeming brighter, a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders. An electric, buzzing kind of energy was filling him, begging to be released, making him feel hyper and a little reckless. He looked at her, so beautiful, her dark eyes radiant, her smile lighting up the entire room, and he remembered how she'd been there for him yesterday. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to pull her close and kiss her until she was breathless, to take her to the bed and push her down into the pillows, to take off her clothes and bury his face between her thighs and make her come over and over and over again…

She caught the look in his eyes and raised her eyebrows.

"Sergio", she said warningly. "We can't."

He stepped closer to her, and she quickly took a step back, grinning.

"No, we _can't_!"

"But I want to", he whispered. "I want to so badly."

"It's almost eleven though!"

"So?"

"The Inspector will be calling us then", she reminded him.

"Do you think she'll call at eleven exactly?"

She laughed. "I'm not risking it! She already interrupted us yesterday – if she does it again, I may just have to kill her."

He grinned.

"Can we at least kiss until then?" he asked. "I feel like we should celebrate."

She was still hesitant. "I don't know, Sergio, do we really want to start something we can't finish?"

He reached out, caught her wrist and pulled her close so he could whisper in her ear:

"Let me finish it then…"

He pressed her close to him with one hand on her lower back, using his other hand to push her hair back so he could brush his lips against her neck.

"Sergio…" she protested weakly. "We… we really only have a few minutes."

"I don't think I need more than a few minutes", he murmured, running his fingers down her spine to make her shiver.

She gasped as he spun her around so her back was pressed to him, then he felt her melt against him as he started kissing her neck.

"I know what you like", he rumbled with his lips against her skin. "It won't take long."

He cupped both of her breasts and stroked her nipples with his thumbs until they hardened, then he squeezed them and she moaned softly.

"Don't…" she breathed. "We really shouldn't…"

He moved one hand down to press it between her legs, hard, and she gasped.

"Give me five minutes", he whispered. "And I can make you come so hard…"

She shivered, but tried again: "What about our agreement though? No sex during the heist…"

"This doesn't count", he smiled. "Let's call it a loophole."

She groaned as he unbuttoned her pants and slipped his hand inside her underwear. When he touched her, a shudder went through her and she closed her eyes as her breathing quickened.

"You're already wet", he said softly. "Let me make you come…"

"The phone though…", she whispered, but it was a very weak protest by now, and she pressed herself back against him.

"Let's not lose any more time then", he said firmly, then turned her around and pressed her against the desk as he kissed her deeply.

She was beyond resisting as he kissed her neck, then made his way down her body, pausing for a moment to nip at her nipples through the fabric of her shirt. Then he went down on his knees in worship, pushing up her top to kiss her stomach before pulling down her pants and underwear so she could step out of them.

"Spread your legs", he murmured and she obeyed him, a little breathless with anticipation.

He lost no more time and pressed his mouth to her, and she leaned back against the desk with a sigh, one hand behind her for support, the other in his hair. His tongue quickly found the right spot and soon she was leaning her head back and moaning, and he was enjoying every second of it, the taste of her, the sounds she was making, her fingers churning in his hair… and then the phone rang.

She jumped and cursed loudly, giving him a sharp tap on the top of his head.

"Goddammit Sergio, I _told _you!"

He looked up. "Fuck it. Let it ring."

"What? But the Inspector…"

"Let her wait. She'll call back."

"But…"

The next moment though, he'd pressed his mouth back against her and she was rendered speechless. After a few more rings, the phone fell quiet and as he focused on his task with renewed enthusiasm, he soon had her moaning again. Like he'd predicted, it only took a few minutes before she tensed, and he picked up the pace as she arched her back, her breathing fast and uneven, her fingers gripping his hair so tightly it was almost painful, but he didn't mind in the slightest as she suddenly started trembling, then threw her head back with a sharp cry as the wave broke over her. He knew just how to make it last, keeping up exactly what he was doing, making her utter several more cries as the feeling just kept going. Then he eased off gradually to draw out her pleasure as she shuddered through the aftershocks.

He withdrew to look at her – she was leaning back on the desk, her head tilted back, her hair streaming down, eyes closed, breathing hard. What a sight.

"Oh", she whispered. "_Oh_, that was good."

She lifted her head to look down at him, her eyes sparkling, and he grinned at her.

"What did I say? Five minutes, tops."

"Thank you for not picking up that phone when it rang."

His grin broadened as he got up. "I'm not tired of living yet. Besides, it's not a bad thing to not answer every once in a while. Let her think I'm busy doing other things instead of just sitting by the phone waiting for her to call me."

She shot him an amused look as she got dressed again. "You sound like you're dating her and trying not to look too eager."

He nodded. "The dynamics are quite similar, yes."

She buttoned up her pants, then came to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Well, thank you anyway."

"My pleasure", he murmured, pressing a kiss against her lips.

When the phone started ringing again, they broke apart, and he felt a little dazed as he sat down in his chair. He took deep breaths, needing a few moments to collect himself and get his mind on the heist again. Finally, he felt the Professor materialize – calm, confident, focused – and he was ready. Raquel put on her headset as he picked up the phone.

"Good morning Inspector."

"How is Mr. Román after his operation?"

"No, no, no", Sergio said, shaking his head. "That's no way to start a conversation. I thought we were becoming friends, Inspector, and now you don't even say good morning?"

"You need to get your priorities straight, Professor. A man nearly _died_ yesterday. I'll give you a good morning _after _you've told me how he is."

"He's fine", Sergio said. "He's recovering well, and he has no fever."

"Glad to hear it", Elena said. "Good morning, Professor."

Sergio smiled. "You're calling rather late today, Inspector. I thought you'd forgotten about me."

"I wish I could, but it's rather hard to forget about you."

"That's interesting to hear. Do you think you'll still think about me even after this is all over?"

"Sure", she said, and he could hear a slight smile in her voice. "I'll come visit you in prison."

He chuckled. "That's very kind of you. But I think I'll choose someplace more exotic to spend the rest of my days."

"We'll see about that", she said crisply.

He grinned broadly and was about to make a clever retort, but next to him, Raquel rolled her eyes and motioned at him to move things along, so he cleared his throat and came to business.

"Why are you calling me, Inspector?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. They're taking me off the case."

He froze.

"It's been too long and we're at a stalemate", Elena continued. "My superiors are starting to doubt whether I'm the best person for this job."

Sergio glanced sideways at Raquel, who was frowning.

"I think you want to keep negotiating with me, though", Elena said. "After all, we're becoming friends, right?"

"We are", Sergio said. "I'm glad you think so too."

"Then you're going to have to give me something, so _I _can give my superiors something."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Let some hostages go. Eleven hostages: ten minors and the pregnant woman."

"That's a lot of hostages."

"You'll still have plenty left. You can afford to let some of them go."

"And if I don't?"

"Then another Inspector will take over the case, and they may not be quite as… friendly. I'll give you an hour to think about it."

She put down the phone, and Sergio turned to Raquel, dismayed.

"I don't want to start over with a new Inspector", he said.

Raquel was still frowning. Finally she said:

"She's bluffing."

"What?"

"It's a strategy, she's playing you. I would do the same thing if I were in her shoes and I'd gone so long without any progress. Try to force a concession out of you somehow."

Sergio hesitated. "What if she's telling the truth, though?"

Raquel shrugged. "Then we get a different negotiator."

"I don't want that!" Sergio said. "I'm just getting a good sense of Elena, a new person would be a blank slate again."

Raquel narrowed her eyes at him. "You just want to keep Elena because you've started this game with her and now you want to see if you can beat her."

"That's not true", he said defensively. "I just think she's a reasonable and level-headed person and who knows who they'd replace her with?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes!" he said. "Didn't you say if things got really bad they'd bring in Alicia Sierra?"

Raquel frowned. "Well… only if things got _really _bad. I don't think Alicia would be their first choice."

"Are we willing to risk it, though?"

She was shaking her head. "I'm telling you, Sergio, she's bluffing!"

"But _are we willing to risk it_?"

She sighed. "Fine. I suppose not. So what do you propose?"

"I think we should free those eleven hostages. It will be a sign of goodwill on our part, and it will take the pressure off for a while."

"That's true", she conceded. "Releasing these hostages would keep them happy for a while, perhaps even days. And they would lose a lot of time questioning the freed hostages. But do you think we can afford to release them? They will tell the police everything they know."

"They can only tell them that we're printing money, which the police already know, and give them information about the fake tunnel we're digging towards the sewers."

"How about describing the members of the team?"

Sergio shook his head. "Composite pictures are always terribly inaccurate, and every person will give a slightly different description. The police won't be able to identify anyone that way."

"Alright", Raquel sighed. "Then I'll look up a list of the names of the minors. Call her back and let her know we'll let them go."

Sergio picked up the phone and took a deep breath to make the Professor manifest again. Once he felt calm and in control, he called the command center. Elena picked up immediately.

"Have you made a decision already?"

"Yes", Sergio said. "We've decided to comply with your request. We'll let the pregnant woman go, and the following minors."

He gave her a list of names, and she replied:

"What about Alison Parker?"

Sergio shook his head. "I think by now you've realized, Inspector, that we both know that Alison Parker is a queen of hearts in this house of cards. We're not letting her go."

"Then our deal is off", the Inspector replied immediately.

Sergio's mind was working fast – there had to be a way to take advantage of their eagerness to get Alison out. He felt the presence of the Professor more strongly than ever as he was suddenly struck by an idea. He leaned forward and was careful not to let the excitement he felt come through in his voice.

"Listen, Inspector, I have a proposition for you. Alison in exchange for the other ten."

Next to him, Raquel's eyebrows went up.

"What do you mean?" Elena said.

"I'll give you Alison Parker", Sergio said, "but nobody else. We both know how important she is, both to you and to me. So if you want her to be released, she'll be released alone."

There was a moment of silence on the other side of the line. Then the Inspector said:

"I need to consult my superiors."

"You have five minutes", Sergio said, and put down the phone.

"What are you doing?" Raquel said immediately. "We can't give up Alison!"

But Sergio was shushing her and turning up the volume of the transmission they were getting from Angel's bug.

"Call him back", they heard the voice of the person they'd identified as Colonel Prieto. "Tell him yes, to let Parker go."

"I will do no such thing", Elena said. "We're not choosing one person over eleven others, including a pregnant woman."

"I don't care about ethics here", Prieto said. "This is a state matter, and the first thing we'll do is save the daughter of the ambassador. Call him back!"

"No", Elena said softly. "No, he's playing us."

"What?" Prieto said.

"Give me a minute to think!"

There was silence on the other end, and Sergio waited with bated breath.

"Well?!" Prieto finally prompted.

"We're not accepting his offer", Elena said firmly. "Because it isn't a real offer. Think about it, Colonel! If you were in his shoes, would you _ever _let Parker go, under any circumstances?"

"He was prepared to let the others go!"

"The others, yes, but not _her_. The very fact that he's offering it… it must be a trap."

"A trap? How?"

"Oh!" Elena said suddenly. "Of course! He told me yesterday that he's recording every conversation."

Sergio gave Raquel a sharp look, but the Inspector was still talking:

"If we now choose to trade Parker for the other eleven, he could use that against us. He might leak the recording to the media. How will we look _then_, Colonel?"

"I don't care how it looks, I want that girl freed!"

"But he'll never free her, don't you see? He'll make us look bad and then go back on his promise!"

"Was that your plan?" Raquel asked quietly beside him, and he nodded, cursing silently that Elena had figured it out. It might still work, though, if Prieto forced the Inspector's hand. And sure enough…

"I'm willing to risk it", Prieto's voice came over the radio. "He might actually let her go, we have to try."

"He won't let her go, Colonel, I'm telling you", Elena said heatedly. "He'll just score another victory over us."

"Inspector", Prieto said angrily, "you'll do as I say."

"I will not", Elena said coldly. "I know how this guy thinks, and I _refuse _to walk into his trap with my eyes open. This is my _job, _I know what I'm doing!"

"Inspector", Prieto started, but Elena firmly cut him off.

"_No_, Colonel. I'm telling you: either we save eleven hostages or we save _none_. I choose the first option."

"I'll have you fired over this", Prieto threatened.

"You do what you have to do", she replied coolly.

Suddenly, their phone was ringing again. Sergio picked up.

"I don't accept your trade", Elena's voice said in his ear. "I want the eleven hostages we agreed upon earlier. Let them go."

Sergio's mind was racing, but he could see no way out. If he refused to let the hostages go now, Prieto would certainly have Elena fired. In fact, she might get fired anyway, and he could not let that happen.

"Good choice", he said. "I wouldn't have let Miss Parker go anyway."

There was just a hint of triumph in Elena's voice when she said: "I didn't think so."

"The hostages will be released at two o'clock."

"Thank you", she said succinctly, then hung up on him.

He put down the phone and turned to Raquel, his jaw tight.

"You _told them_ we were recording them when you talked to her yesterday?"

"Yes", she said defensively. "I didn't have any choice, Sergio, she wouldn't give us the medical team to save Román."

"My strategy _almost _worked", he said, his voice carefully controlled. "We _almost _didn't have to give up _any _hostages, and we could have discredited the police at the same time. It would have been a big win for us. Instead, we have to let eleven hostages go."

"I don't regret my choice", she said. "A man was bleeding out and she wanted a hostage in return for sending in the medical team. I couldn't make that decision without consulting you, so I had to play a different card."

"You could have tried harder not to play any of our cards at all!"

"Oh", she said indignantly. "You think _you _could have done better?"

"I think I could have, yes", he said coldly.

"Don't flatter yourself", she snapped. "You can barely keep up with Elena."

"That's exactly why I don't want you to talk to her!" he said. "If _I _can barely keep up with her, _you _certainly can't!"

She looked deeply offended and opened her mouth to say something angry in return, but then she suddenly stopped and shook her head.

"I'm not talking to you when you're like this", she said.

"Like what?"

"You're still the Professor", she said. "And the Professor is an asshole. You can come and apologize to me when you snap out of it."

And she got up and walked away from him.

…

He came to her, as she'd known he would, after fifteen minutes, a contrite expression on his face.

"I'm sorry."

She nodded, but didn't say anything, so he sat down next to her at the table and continued.

"I get so caught up in all of this…" he said, running a hand through his hair. "I… I sort of lose myself."

"I don't think you do", she said. "You're the Professor as much as you are Sergio."

"I suppose", he sighed.

"That's not a bad thing", she continued, more gently now. "You need to be the Professor when you're dealing with the operation."

He nodded. "I do. I need that side of myself to keep a handle on things."

"I understand. But you can't be that person with me, Sergio. You become cold and distant and unpleasant, and I don't like it."

"I'm sorry", he said. "I can't help myself."

She considered him. "To a certain extent, I accept that. I don't expect hugs or sweet words from you when you're the Professor, I understand that you're not capable of affection when you're that focused. But you can still watch your words, you can still show me consideration. The Professor doesn't excuse just any bad behavior towards me. I accept that you're a little different then, but you're still _you_, and responsible for your own behavior. I don't care who you are or how you're feeling – you're allowed to disagree with me, you're allowed to argue, but the least you can do is treat me with respect."

He shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, of course you're right." He looked up at her anxiously. "Raquel, I'm afraid at some point I might say something really bad, something that will hurt you. I just want to apologize in advance if…"

"Oh no", she said, raising her eyebrows. "You're not getting absolution in advance for treating me like an asshole. You're aware of the issue now, so from now on, think twice about what you say to me when you're the Professor."

He grimaced. "I might still say something hurtful."

"Then you can apologize for it _then_."

He sighed. "I'm sorry I implied earlier that I could have handled yesterday's situation better. I listened to the recording of your conversation with Elena, and you're right. It was a difficult situation and you made the right decision."

She felt the release of a tension she hadn't really been aware of. She'd _known_, objectively, that she'd handled the situation as well as she could have under the circumstances, but some part of her had still wondered if maybe Sergio _could _have done better. She realized that his approval meant a lot to her.

"Thank you."

He nodded. "I shouldn't have doubted you. You're a trained negotiator, you knew what you were doing."

She sighed. "I'm sorry it cost you your strategy, earlier. It was a good strategy, it would have been nice if it had worked."

"It _should _have worked", he said, clearly frustrated. "If only Elena hadn't figured it out."

Raquel suddenly realized something. "You're too similar."

"What do you mean?"

"Your minds work in the same way. That's why she seems to see right through you."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I think you're right. I need to meet with her again."

She frowned. "Sergio…"

"I need to get an edge over her somehow! She's blocking me at every turn, I need _something_."

She almost said something, but she didn't want to have another argument, so she swallowed the words and bit her tongue. He noticed, though.

"I know you don't agree with me seeing her, but do you remember when we practiced negotiations back at the house? The better I got to know you, the better it went."

She raised her eyebrows. "We were sleeping together though. What are you proposing, exactly?"

He waved a hand, seemingly oblivious. "That's not the main thing. In the _Art of War_, Sun Tzu says: 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.' That's what's happening now. For every victory we score, we also suffer a defeat, because we don't know our enemy. I have to see her again."

She wisely kept her mouth shut. If he was quoting Sun Tzu, nothing _she _could say would persuade him otherwise. There was something else that bothered her though.

"Sergio", she started, a little hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to hear what he was going to say, but she needed to know. "About what you said earlier, that what happened between you and me was 'bad enough'…"

He grimaced. "That was a poor choice of words. I really didn't mean it that way."

She shot him a look. "Tell me something, though. If you could have made a _choice _about 'you and me'… would you have chosen for it to happen?"

"Before the fact? No", he said. Then he saw her face, and quickly hastened to explain further. "Because I had no idea of what it would be like! I had no frame of reference at all, remember. But knowing what I know now? Yes, yes of course, Raquel. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. If I had to do it a thousand times, I would choose you every time."

She felt something inside her soften at his words. "Good. I would hate for you to regret this…"

"Of course I don't, Raquel, how could you even think that?" he said, sounding a little desperate. "You… you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You're the best choice I ever made. I will never regret that, _never_."

She gave him a soft look and shifted her chair closer to his, then leaned in to kiss him. He cupped her cheek as he softly brushed his lips against hers. Their kisses were a little tentative at first – she felt like she needed to find him again, unwrap him from his many layers to access the part of him that she needed right now. Then suddenly something clicked and he was hers again – she felt it in everything: the way he leaned in to her, the way he kissed her more deeply, the way his hand disappeared into her hair. The next moment, he pulled her into his lap and his arms closed around her as she kissed him hungrily.

Their limited time together worried and frustrated her. These past few days had been generally stressful, and the heist posed new challenges to their relationship, confronting them with issues and parts of themselves that hadn't been a problem during their time in Toledo. And just now that they needed it the most, almost all intimacy had become impossible: they couldn't sleep next to each other anymore, they barely touched, they didn't even really have time to talk anymore now that the bug in Angel's glasses was constantly transmitting potentially crucial information. And not having sex was… harder than she'd thought it would be. It had seemed such a logical thing to agree on before the heist, just common sense, really: of course the screens had to be manned at all times. But after their fight, she desperately needed to be close to him now, they needed a way to reconnect, to come back to each other, just for a little while, a few blessed minutes away from the screens and the pressures of the operation.

To her immense relief, he seemed to feel the same way, because he whispered against her lips:

"I'm taking you to bed."

She didn't argue this time, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kept kissing him as he lifted her and carried her to the bed, where he put her down gently and joined her. It was such a relief to have him close, to feel his body on top of hers, to wrap her arms around him as they sank into kiss after kiss after kiss, making up for lost time. When he'd gone down on her before, it had felt so good, and she was certainly not complaining, but really it had only made her hungrier for him. This was what she craved: her body pressed to his, his mouth on hers, her hands under his shirt to feel his skin. Breaking apart for even a second seemed unbearable – neither of them wanted to waste a moment of this precious stolen time – so they kept kissing as they undressed, until they were finally, gloriously, skin to skin for the first time in days, and the bliss of it was so intense it made her entire body tingle.

His caresses were infinitely tender as he ran his fingers through her hair, brushing down her neck, then he made her shiver as his hand moved lightly down the side of her body, over her hip and thigh. She opened her legs to him and he started stroking the inside of her thighs, slowly moving up and down, his touch light, always stopping right before he touched her where she wanted him, firing up a deep, insistent tingling between her legs, and as he kissed her deeply, she felt such a longing for him that it left her breathless. She opened her legs further, but he didn't take advantage, and his slow stroking was driving her crazy, until the only thing she could think about was to have him inside her.

"Sergio", she breathed. "I want you, I _need _you."

"Are you ready?" he murmured, and she gasped as he finally brushed his fingers against her.

"Yes", she whispered. "Yes, yes, _yes_."

He moved his body on top of hers and she reached down to guide him in, inhaling sharply as he entered her. He pressed into her very, very slowly, and she let out a long, low moan of pleasure as she felt him fill her up, inch by delicious inch. When he was deep inside her, he stopped, and they leaned their foreheads together for a few long moments as they held each other close, just connecting. Then he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her deeply as he started taking her with deep, deliberate strokes, pushing in his entire length every time, making her moan against his lips. Then his mouth sought out the sensitive spots on the side of her neck, and she sighed with pleasure and buried her fingers in his hair as he kissed her there. It had only been a few days, but _oh, _how she'd missed being this close to him, how she'd missed his mouth on her skin, his arms around her. She wrapped her legs around him and he groaned as she pulled him even deeper, unable to get enough of him as he filled her again and again and again.

He suddenly withdrew, breathing rather fast, and whispered:

"Turn around."

She turned onto her side and when he came to lie close behind her, she fitted her body against his as he gathered her in his arms and held her tight. He entered her again and it still felt _so good_, and now his hands were free to touch her where she wanted to be touched. She sighed in satisfaction as he moved his fingers between her legs and started stroking her, and soon she was moaning with every breath, pressing her hips back against him each time he thrust in. He picked up the pace, and it didn't take long before she felt the tension inside her build to an almost unbearable pitch, and when she tensed, he used his free hand to pinch her nipple and that sent her straight over the edge. The feeling was so strong that it took her breath away, and she could only gasp as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her, leaving her helpless and trembling in his arms. A moment later, he tensed behind her and buried his face in her hair as he pushed in one, two, three more times, then groaned softly as he came deep inside her.

They lay without moving for several long moments, catching their breath, basking in the afterglow, and for the first time since the heist began, she felt truly connected to him again. For a few minutes, he hadn't been thinking about hostages or money or the Inspector – for a few minutes, he'd left the Professor far behind and just been Sergio – for a few minutes, they had been able to recreate the beautiful, intimate little bubble that had been theirs in Toledo, and she was so grateful. Beneath the friction and the arguments and the tension, they were still _them_, unchangeable, inseparable, eternal, no matter what life would throw at them. She sensed that the next few days wouldn't be easy for them, though, so she tried to capture the feeling she had _right now_ – something to hold onto when the going got rough, when he pulled away from her again, when the Professor took over.

He stirred behind her and tightened his arms around her as he kissed her neck.

"Well", she smiled, "so much for our agreement that we wouldn't have sex."

He chuckled. "We didn't even make it three days. I should have known, though. You can't keep your hands off me."

She laughed and turned around to kiss him. "So true. I'm sorry I made you break your own rules… again."

"I just can't help myself around you", he sighed. "But I suppose it couldn't hurt… just this once."

"Yes", she nodded. "Just this once."

They kissed again, then she said:

"I suppose we should get back to the screens."

"Yes," he said, rather sadly. "I suppose we should."

Neither of them moved to get out of bed, however, unwilling to break the spell of their togetherness, knowing it would plunge them back into reality, knowing it would be a while before they got another moment like this. So they held each other close, sharing soft kisses and even softer touches, ignoring the seconds that were ticking away. _Just one more minute_, they kept whispering to each other. _Just one more minute with you._


	29. Fear

**Day 3 – noon**

It took them a while to get out of bed, but finally they managed it. She felt how they were in sync again as they got dressed, stopping for little touches or kisses between buttons and belts. They sat down in front of the desk together and flipped through the different camera images inside the Mint, but everything seemed under control. Through the radio, they heard the police prepare for the release of the hostages at two o'clock: making sure ambulances were standing by, clearing an interview space, listing questions to ask the freed hostages in order of importance. Finally, they heard Angel say:

"We should eat something before the hostages get here."

"I'll go and get us something", Elena said. "I have to get out of here for a minute. What do you want?"

"A sandwich", Angel said. "From Benizo's, maybe?"

Sergio shot Raquel a look. "Do you mind…?"

"What's your plan?"

"Just to bump into her at the sandwich shop."

She sighed. "Fine, go."

There was no stopping him anyway, and she was glad that he at least checked in with her this time. He quickly got up and put on his jacket.

"At least get us some lunch while you're out", she said.

"I will", he said. "I won't be long."

He bent down to kiss her, and she grabbed his hair and pressed her lips against his, kissing him deeply, passionately, for several long moments. He looked dazed and a little breathless as he straightened again.

"Oh…" he said, "well… that was… wow."

She smiled in satisfaction as he pushed his glasses up his nose, shook himself, then walked towards the door, looking over his shoulder at her several times. Let him go meet Elena now – he wouldn't easily forget her after _that _kiss.

…

Indeed, Sergio's thoughts were entirely on Raquel as he walked the few blocks to the sandwich shop, but as soon as he saw Elena come out, his mind snapped back to the heist and he couldn't help but smile in anticipation as he walked up to her. They'd only met twice before, but she'd been quite friendly, especially the second time, and he was fairly certain that she liked him. There seemed to be a natural understanding between them, and Sergio hoped he'd be able to exploit that connection.

"Oh", she said as she spotted him. "Hello, Salva."

"Hi, Elena."

"What a coincidence to run into you again."

He shrugged. "Not really, I told you my brewery is only just around the corner, so I always get lunch either here or at Hanoi. How are things going with the hostage situation?"

She smiled. "Good." She hesitated, but she seemed too excited to keep quiet. "You'll hear this on the news soon anyway: at two o'clock, eleven of the hostages will be freed."

"That's great!" he said. "Well done!"

She waved his compliment away. "There will still be more than fifty inside, but at least it's progress. Sorry Salva, I really don't have time to chat now, we have to prepare."

"I understand", he nodded, then eyed her carefully as she walked away. She seemed to be in a very good mood – he decided to take a risk.

"Elena!" he called after her, and she turned. "Do you… do you want to get a drink tonight? To celebrate?"

She considered him for a moment. "I'm not sure at what time I can get off work. But you can come by the tent around nine and see if I'm free."

"Alright", he said eagerly. "I'll see you tonight then."

He smiled broadly as he turned and walked back to the hangar. This was _excellent_ – if she joined him for drinks, they'd have at least an hour to talk. He was already looking forward to the conversation: no matter how it went, he knew it would be fascinating. And on top of that, she'd invited him to come by the tent – if he asked for her, maybe they'd even let him inside. His heart started beating faster at the very thought of being right inside the lion's den without them suspecting anything.

When he got back to the control room, Raquel frowned at him.

"Where's the food?"

"Oh!" he said. "I totally forgot."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, go back and get it, then."

"I will, I'm sorry."

"Did you talk to her?"

"Yes", he said, "but only for a moment."

"Well", she shrugged, "better luck next time."

He hesitated, but decided not to tell her about his planned drink that evening. Even though she'd agreed before to him bumping into Elena at the sandwich shop, he doubted that she would approve of him spending an entire evening with her, and after the closeness they'd just shared, he really didn't want another fight. He'd tell her later. He felt like he'd made the right decision when he came back with two sandwiches and they ate them companionably in front of the screens. The police were still busy preparing for the release of the hostages, so they could talk, and she was clearly in a good mood, teasing him, making him laugh, often leaning in for a kiss.

After lunch, he turned to her with a more serious expression.

"What do you think I should do about Berlin?"

She frowned. "I've been thinking about that too. Do you want to go back to Toledo and remove his DNA from the house?"

"I'm not sure", he mused. "Even if Mónica didn't die, Berlin still disobeyed my orders. I feel like there should be consequences."

"Revealing his identity is quite serious, though. And, well, he'syour _brother_. Apparently."

"Yes. I don't _want _to punish him. I never did, but he forced my hand."

"I think he was just testing the limits he could go to. I don't think he'll do that again – the conversation I had with him yesterday should keep him in line."

He eyed her carefully. "What did you _say _to him?"

She waved the question away . "It doesn't matter. And another thing, Sergio. If the police know his identity, it will make it harder for Berlin to get out of the country – and if he'll be traveling with us, that puts us at risk too."

He nodded. "That decides it then. I'll go back to Toledo to remove his DNA."

"I think that would be best, yes."

They waited until two o'clock, when the hostages were released without incident. Then Sergio left Raquel to listen to the police interviewing the hostages, while he got on his bike and drove back to Toledo.

…

For the first hour, Raquel listened intently to the questions Elena and Angel were asking the released hostages, but after a while they became quite repetitive and she had time to think things over for the first time all day. She smiled as she savored again the revelation that Mónica was still alive, and on top of that, Román seemed to be recovering well from his surgery. She allowed herself to hope – very, very carefully – that perhaps they'd be able to limit the human cost of this operation after all. Yesterday had been a terrible day, but today things were looking up again. She let her mind wander back to the other big revelation of the day, and she shook her head. She still couldn't quite believe that Sergio and Berlin were brothers – they were such different people. But now that she really thought about it, she realized she should have seen the signs: he was close to Berlin in a way he wasn't with anyone else – even admitting to her that he'd asked him for romantic advice – and why else would he have wanted Berlin to come live with them on Palawan? She was still a bit annoyed that Sergio hadn't told her sooner, but he was so rigid sometimes, his rules so important to him, so she tried not to be too bothered. He was just a bit unusual, his mind working in ways that often differed so starkly from hers. She knew she had to accept that about him, and she was perfectly prepared to do that.

She remembered what Berlin had told her yesterday: _I'll be dead within the year. _She hadn't cared that much then: she'd never had any particular fondness for Berlin – sexist, arrogant sociopath that he was – and the distaste she'd always felt for him had only worsened now that she knew that he was capable of killing innocent people just to assert his power over others. And yet, and yet… Sergio must love him. If Berlin was dying, that would be hurting Sergio deeply, and while she didn't really feel for Berlin, she did feel for Sergio. She wished he would have agreed to talk to her about it, instead of waving her concern away and bottling things up. _I'll be dead within the year_, Berlin's words echoed in her head again. _I've got myopathy. Genetic, incurable. _She'd never heard of myopathy before, but it must be serious. _Genetic, incurable_. Suddenly, she froze. Wait… _wait_. Genetic. _Berlin is my brother_. She felt a terrible realization dawn. Genetic. _Genetic_. Incurable. _Sergio_.

She shook her head, her thoughts racing. No, _no_, he would have told her if he was sick, he would have _told _her! Yet a small but insistent voice in the back of her mind was saying: _would he_? After all, he hadn't told her about Berlin being his brother. What else had he not told her? Suddenly, things were coming back to her, things Sergio had told her over their months together. _I was very ill as a child, always in and out of hospitals_. Her heart started beating frantically as she remembered how he'd started shaking yesterday when Berlin told him Mónica was dead. Was that a symptom? _ I would have told you about Berlin after the heist. _Had he just been waiting for the right moment? _Raquel, if something happens to me… _No, she thought, closing her eyes tightly. _My life doesn't matter. _No, no, no. And yet, didn't it make sense? Wasn't this why he was risking everything in this operation, _now_? Wasn't this why he hadn't told her about Berlin being his brother? Wasn't this why he had refused to talk about his brother's illness that morning? _This isn't the right time, we're in the middle of a vast operation, I don't want to think about… _that_… now. _Berlin's words came back to her with a new significance, hitting her like a hammer blow. _I'll be dead within the year_.

She hadn't panicked once during the past few days, but she was panicking now. She had to talk to Sergio, _now_. With trembling hands, she picked up the phone and dialed his number, holding her breath as it rang, then her heart sank as it went to voicemail. She checked her watch – yes, he was probably already on his way back on the bike, which meant he couldn't answer his phone. It would take him about an hour to drive back to Madrid – too long, much too long. She put down the phone and immediately picked it back up to call Berlin in the Mint: if Sergio was sick too, his brother would know. The next moment, though, she hesitated. If Sergio really was sick, there was no way Berlin would tell her that – this secret was Sergio's and only Sergio's to share, and she was sure Berlin, with his strong sense of honor, would understand and respect that.

She slammed the phone back down and buried her face in her hands. _I'll be dead within the year_. It couldn't be – fate couldn't be that cruel, to let her find him only to lose him again? But fate had dealt her blow after blow in the past year, and she had no faith left in life's fairness. She tried telling herself that Sergio might not actually be sick, but she had no idea of what the chances were of both brothers having inherited the same genetic illness. Then she tried telling herself that even if Sergio _was _sick, he might not be in a critical stage like Berlin was – after all, Berlin was a few years older. But even if they had a few more years together, it wasn't… it wasn't _enough_. She didn't just want a few more years with him, she wanted decades, she wanted a _lifetime_.

Over the past few months, she'd tried so, so hard not to think about the future too much. She had tried to take things one day at a time, to enjoy what she could in the moment, because the past year had shown her that fortunes could change in a heartbeat and nothing was certain – especially not their future after the dangerous, unpredictable operation they were planning. In moments of weakness, she had allowed herself to imagine herself on a beach with him and Paula, but she'd never let her thoughts construct a more elaborate picture of their life after the heist. And yet… now she suddenly realized that, despite her best efforts, she _did _have expectations, hopes, images of the future, carefully hidden away underneath a layer of conscious repression. Now that that future might be snatched away from them, she suddenly saw it so clearly: living with him in their own house, raising Paula with him, growing old together. She wanted it so desperately, and the thought that they might never have any of it was simply unbearable.

She realized with a sudden, breath-taking clarity how much he meant to her. Of course she'd known that he was important, of course she'd known that she loved him, and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. But this possible death sentence made her conscious of so much more: that, in a few short months, so much of her world had started to revolve around him, that he was the rock on which she was building her new life, and that his disappearance from her life would leave a hole she would never be able to fill again. She was having trouble breathing as the realization dawned on her: he was the love of her life. And she might lose him.

It was the longest hour of her life, waiting for him to come back. She watched the seconds tick away, simultaneously wanting him to walk through that door as soon as possible, and dreading the moment when her worst fear might become a reality. She tried researching myopathy, but there were so many different kinds that it was impossible to know what symptoms Sergio might develop if he had it. Finally, after a _goddamn eternity_, the door to the hangar opened and he stepped in. She ran to him.

"What's wrong?" he said as he saw her face. "What happened?"

"Are you sick?" she said urgently, grabbing his jacket. "Sergio, _are you sick_?"

"What?" he frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Berlin!" she said. "He's sick and he's your brother!"

"What?"

"He's your brother!"

He took her by the shoulders. "Okay, calm down and tell me what's wrong."

She took a breath. "Berlin told me his illness is genetic, and now you told me he's your brother. The illness, the myopathy… do you have it too?"

"Oh!" he said, comprehension dawning on his face, and she held her breath as she looked up at him with frightened eyes. Then…

"No", he said simply, and she felt herself go weak with relief. "No, I don't have it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You're not just saying this because we're in the middle of the operation, right? You're not waiting until _after _to tell me?"

"No, Raquel, I swear I don't have it."

"So… so you're not dying?"

He gave her a crooked smile. "I have no immediate plans, no."

She rushed in and hugged him, hugged him, hugged him, so tightly that he spluttered:

"But that can change very quickly if you don't let me breathe."

She didn't let go of him. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks, and when he noticed, he gently wrapped his arms around her and pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head.

"It's alright", he said. "It's alright, I'm not going anywhere."

"Berlin said he only had one year left to live. I thought… I thought… and you're _so _important to me, Sergio. What would I do without you?"

"Oh, my love", he said, hugging her tighter. "No, no, don't worry. I'm perfectly healthy, really. Don't you think I would have told you otherwise?"

She gave him a resentful look. "You didn't tell me Berlin was your brother either."

He grimaced. "Alright, fair point, I see how that might have made you doubt me. But I promise you I'm not hiding anything else from you. No more secrets."

"You really promise?"

"Solemnly."

They stood holding each other for a while. When Sergio opened his arms again, however, she didn't stop hugging him.

He smiled. "Can you let go of me now?"

"No", she said, pressing her face against his shirt, breathing in the comfortingly familiar smell of him. "I don't think I can."

He chuckled. "But we have to get back to the screens."

"I don't care."

"Alright…" he said thoughtfully. "Seems like we need a compromise."

The next moment, he'd bent down and picked her up, and she laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck instead. He walked over to his usual chair at the desk, then sat down with her on his lap.

"How's this?"

"Perfect", she sighed, nestling herself close to him and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"How were the interviews with the hostages?"

"Fine", she said, kissing his cheek again.

"Did they say anything we didn't anticipate?"

"No", she said, nuzzling his ear.

"Are they still interviewing them?"

"Yes", she said. "They ask everyone the same questions, and the answers are more or less the same every time."

Oh, she just couldn't stop touching him, running her fingers slowly through his hair, then stroking his shoulders. He wasn't sick, he was strong and healthy and _so _handsome, and he would be hers for years to come. She leaned in and kissed his neck.

His mouth twitched as he tried not to smile. "Don't."

"But I feel like we should celebrate."

"Celebrate what?"

"That you're not dying."

"I was never dying in the first place."

"I didn't know that."

"Well, you know it now. I'm not dying."

"Prove it", she whispered, then bit his earlobe. He shivered.

"I get the idea that you have a very specific kind of proof in mind."

"I do", she murmured, kissing his neck again.

His voice became a little strained. "I assure you I'm very much alive."

She smiled as she shifted her hips and felt him hard underneath her. "Yes, I can feel that."

He groaned. "Raquel, our agreement…"

"We already broke that earlier."

"Exactly, and we said we wouldn't do it again!"

"Just five minutes…"

"I resent that", he laughed. "I last longer than that."

"Ten minutes then."

"We can't leave the screens again, we took such a risk earlier."

"Nothing happened."

"That doesn't mean nothing will happen this time." He put on his sternest expression. "No, I'm putting my foot down."

She stroked his beard. "Hmm, I like it when you're all firm like that. Do it again."

He suppressed a smile and frowned at her. "It's not happening!"

She bit her lip. "Oh, very sexy."

He raised his eyebrows. "Raquel, I'm not getting out of this chair."

She grinned. "I can work with that."

The next moment, she was astride his lap, her arms around his neck, her hips pressed against him, and she smiled when he wrapped his arms around her without thinking, looking longingly at her lips. She brought her mouth very close to his.

"I think you want to kiss me", she whispered.

He cleared his throat. "You're entirely mistaken."

"I think you want to undress me."

"Not even a little bit", he mumbled, but his eyes flicked down her body.

"I think you want me."

He swallowed hard. "What… what gave you that idea?"

She pressed her hips against him, feeling him hard between her legs, and he closed his eyes and grimaced.

"Oh… that."

She brushed his lips with hers for just one fleeting moment, and he sighed with longing.

"So…" she said softly, "_do _you want to kiss me?"

"Yes", he whispered.

Another brush of her lips against his.

"Do you want to undress me?"

"Yes."

She brushed his lips a third time.

"Do you want me?"

"_Hell yes_," he said, then he grabbed her hair and pressed his mouth hard against hers, kissing her deeply, the kind of kiss that never failed to turn her on, and she felt an immediate tingle between her legs. She kissed him back just as enthusiastically, both of her hands in his hair, then she sighed as he started kissing her neck. Oh, she wanted him, she wanted him so badly – she moved down her hands and deftly undid the button of his pants, and he groaned as she drew him out. She started stroking him, and he leaned his forehead against her shoulder, his eyes tightly closed.

"Oh", he sighed. "Oh, that feels so good."

She gripped him tighter and he gasped.

"We can still stop if you want", she murmured teasingly in his ear.

"God no", he groaned, his breathing uneven. "Take off your pants, _now_."

She eagerly got off his lap and kicked off her pants and underwear, then she sat astride him again and guided him in. They both moaned as she sank down on him, and he closed his arms around her and pulled her close as she started riding him. She set a fast pace, enjoying the feeling of his hard length filling her up again and again, and soon they were both breathing hard, their faces flushed, their eyes closed. He pressed his mouth against the sensitive skin of her throat and she sighed with pleasure as he kissed her there, then she leaned back a bit as he started kissing her chest, then sought out her nipples, which were hard and visible even through the fabric of her top, to nip at them with his teeth. The sensation sent little jolts straight to her center, and she felt the tension inside her begin to build, build, build until she was gasping. She moved a hand between them and touched just the right spot, and when he bucked his hips to take her deeper, the feeling inside her was _so _delicious that the tension peaked and broke with a hot, electric tingling that made her moan and moan against his mouth as she tensed and trembled in his arms. He was only a few seconds behind her – even before she'd ridden out the aftershocks, his arms tightened around her and he inhaled sharply, then shuddered his release.

They leaned their foreheads together, their arms still tight around each other, as they took a few minutes to catch their breath. Then she kissed him, slowly and sensuously.

"That was amazing", she whispered, and he nodded his agreement, smiling.

They didn't dare leave the screens unattended for any longer, so she regretfully got off him and he flicked through the different channels of the cameras inside the Mint as she dressed.

"Everything alright in there?" she asked him as she let herself fall back into her chair, feeling warm with relief, happy and satisfied.

"Yes", he said. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

The smiled at each other, then turned up the volume of the radio and listened in on the police interviewing the hostages.

…

They spent the rest of the afternoon and the early evening together in front of the screens, keeping an eye on the Mint and their radio attuned to Angel's bug. When nothing interesting was happening, they talked softly, their heads close together. They kept reaching out to touch each other, keeping a hand on an arm or a knee as they talked, and he kept postponing telling her that he was seeing Elena again that evening – she still felt a little fragile and he hated the thought of upsetting her again. After he went out to get them dinner, though, he knew he couldn't keep postponing it forever.

He took a deep breath and said:

"I'm going out to see Elena."

She frowned. "Again? You just saw her this afternoon."

"That was just for a moment, we barely talked. I asked her if she wanted to go for a drink tonight and she told me to come by the tent at nine to see if she's free."

"Whoa, wait, you're having _drinks _with her now?"

"If she has time."

"Sergio!" she said, aghast.

"It's really not a big deal."

"You're going to spend an entire _evening_ with this woman?"

"Well… yes."

"But that's so much time for her to figure out who you are!"

"How could she possibly? No, this is the perfect time for me to finally get some insights into her, find a way to unbalance her."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you sure that's the reason you want to have drinks with her?"

He frowned. "Why else?"

"I think you like talking to her."

"So?" he said defensively.

She gave him the most exasperated look. "She's not your friend! She'll throw you in jail for the rest of your life if she has half a chance!"

"Then I won't give her that chance."

"You can't keep her from suspecting you!"

A thought struck him, and he raised his hands.

"Wait, calm down, think about it for a moment" he said. "What if it had been you?"

"What?"

"What if _you _had been in charge of the case, and I'd approached you. Would you have suspected me of being who I am?"

To her credit, she really gave it some thought.

"I think I would have thought you were a journalist."

"And if I managed to convince you that I wasn't? Would you have suspected me of being the Professor, just walking up to you to talk to you?"

She was visibly calming down.

"No", she said. "No, I'm fairly sure it wouldn't even enter my mind."

"See", he smiled. "And you have such good instincts, Raquel. If you wouldn't have suspected me, why do you think Elena will?"

She shot him a dark look. "I thought she was so much smarter than me?"

He shook his head. "I said that in a moment of anger, I didn't mean it. Besides, she's smart, but you have much better people skills."

She sighed, and he saw something close to anxiety in her eyes.

"But Sergio… I think I would have fallen in love with you if I'd met you, even in those circumstances. Especially if you took me out on a date like you're now doing with Elena."

That made him laugh. "This isn't a date!"

"Does _she _know that?"

"Of course!"

"Then what does she think this is, tonight?"

"She thinks she's making a new friend."

She raised an extremely skeptical eyebrow, but he glanced at his watch and realized he didn't have much time left to argue. Either he should go now, or he shouldn't go at all. He looked at her, her arms crossed, her brows furrowed, and he remembered the look on her face when she'd thought he was dying. The trembling in her voice, the panic in her eyes… he'd never seen her like that. All of this fighting was only because she cared about him, she worried about him. He felt like he couldn't just dismiss that – not again.

He sighed. "Look… if you ask me not to go, I won't go."

There was such a look of relief in her eyes that he almost stopped there, but he felt like he still needed to try, so he went on:

"But I feel like I'm so close to getting her to trust me. Tonight could reveal crucial information. I just… I just want one clear shot at her, just give me this one chance to make a difference. After tonight, I'll never go see her again."

She hesitated. "You'll never see her again?"

"I promise."

"And you won't take any stupid risks tonight?"

"I'll do anything I can to persuade her to trust me, Raquel, there _are _no risks. The worst that can happen is that she asks to see my brewery, and then I can take her to the back-up location."

She sighed. "Fine. Fine, go. Do what you have to do so I don't have to have this goddamn discussion ever again."

He rushed to her and kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest rather sadly. He felt a stab of guilt, but he managed to push it away as he kissed her hair.

"I won't stay out too late."

He sensed her reluctance as she let go of him, so he put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face.

"Hey…" he murmured. "I love you."

She gave him such a sad look. "I love you too."

He tried to kiss the sadness away, but there was still a trace of it left in her face as they broke apart and he put on his jacket.

"I'll be back before you know it", he said as he walked towards the door.

She simply nodded, then turned around to sit down in front of the screens.

…

She felt a curious mixture of resignation and frustration as she sat down at the desk and flipped through the channels. She might have agreed to let him go, but she still wished he hadn't _wanted _to go. She knew she was probably over-sensitive to him taking risks right now, after her earlier scare that he might be dying, but she still knew – objectively, rationally – that he _was_ taking a risk and she didn't like it. If she was completely honest with herself, she also didn't like that he was so eager to take that risk, simply to see Elena again, and it frustrated her that he was out having a good time while she was stuck in this stupid hangar, alone, for the entire evening. God, how she was already starting to hate this room, hating the fact that she couldn't leave for even a minute, dreading the fact that she would have to spend another eight days here.

She kept going through the camera channels from inside the Mint, one by one. Everything seemed calm and normal, the presses working at full force, making them richer by the minute, the hostages either working or resting. She pressed a button to change channels again, moving on to the camera in the boiler room, where the cops and the guards were tied up, and suddenly she froze. The camera was showing her that one of the hostages had freed himself – and not just freed _himself_ – he was freeing the others too. Her shock only lasted for a split second, then she immediately launched into action, grabbing the phone and pressing the button for the Mint.

"Come on, come _on_", she muttered as the phone rang, staring at the empty breakroom on her second screen, willing someone to show up. Then, to her immense relief, Nairobi entered and picked up the ringing phone.

"Yes?"

"The hostages in the boiler room are free!" Raquel shouted. "Stop them!"

Nairobi lost no time: she banged down the phone, grabbed her gun, and raced out of the room. Raquel followed her progress through the building with bated breath, keeping one eye on the camera feed of the boiler room, where she saw the guard, Jacinto, free one hostage after another. Nairobi picked up Denver and Oslo on the way, and together they ran down the stairs, where Raquel lost track of them because there were no cameras. She took up her cellphone and called Sergio, then cursed loudly as his phone went straight to voicemail. Meanwhile, on the boiler room camera feed, all the hostages were now free, and clearly discussing what to do next. Raquel felt almost unbearably tense as she kept staring at the door behind the gathered men – then, it suddenly burst open and there were Nairobi, Denver and Oslo, aiming their guns straight at the hostages.

The men dropped to their knees immediately, their hands in the air, and within minutes, they were safely tied up and Raquel could breathe again. As Nairobi, Denver and Oslo made their way back upstairs, Raquel tried calling Sergio again, but once more, it went straight to voicemail. She cursed in frustration – it looked like she had no choice but to handle this herself. She waited until she saw Nairobi come back into the breakroom, then she called the Mint again.

"Everything under control", Nairobi said upon answering.

"I know, I saw", Raquel said. "Well done. How did they manage to free themselves? We have to make sure it can't happen again."

On the screen, she saw Nairobi hold up some tools. "We found this on the floor."

Raquel frowned. "Where could they have gotten those?"

"No idea."

Raquel was thinking fast. After a few seconds, she said: "Clearly something isn't right, and we need to get to the bottom of this. I want everyone gathered in the breakroom, Nairobi. Except Oslo and Helsinki, let them guard the hostages for now, and I can talk to them later if need be."

Nairobi nodded and left the room. Raquel tried calling Sergio again, but the result was the same. She was starting to feel worried, but on the screen, she saw the team enter the breakroom, so she pushed the thought away – she'd deal with Sergio later. She picked up the phone and called, and Berlin answered.

"Berlin, we need to figure out how the hostages got hold of those tools. I've rewound the video, and the head guard, Jacinto, had them taped to his body – he must have picked them up somewhere when he was let out of the boiler room. Where did he go?"

"Those hostages are only let out to use the bathroom", Berlin said.

"How can he have gotten tools in the _bathroom_?" Raquel said.

"No idea", Berlin said unhelpfully.

Raquel took a moment to think. There was only one option.

"Another hostage must have left them there, a hostage with access to the tools. Get me a list of names of the hostages who worked on the tunnel this afternoon."

"Helsinki was supervising the tunnel today, I'll go get him."

"Let Moscow replace him to guard the hostages."

Berlin and Moscow left the room, and Nairobi took over the phone.

"Nairobi", Raquel said, feeling more like Inspector Murillo than she had in months, calm and in charge of the situation as she reconstructed this crime. "Who last took Jacinto up to the bathroom?"

Nairobi asked the question to the team, and Denver raised his hand.

"Denver says Jacinto requested an extra bathroom break half an hour ago and he took him up."

"Does he remember which cubicle he used?"

Denver thought about it, then Nairobi said:

"He thinks it was the second-to-last."

Meanwhile, Berlin came back with Helsinki, who took over the phone.

"Which hostages worked on the tunnel today?" Raquel asked, and Helsinki proceeded to list them.

"Did any of those hostages request an unscheduled bathroom break this afternoon?"

"No", Helsinki said.

Raquel cursed. "Ask the others if anyone else requested an unscheduled bathroom break in the last two hours."

Helsinki asked the question, and Rio took the phone.

"Arturo Román requested an unscheduled bathroom break about an hour ago."

"Cubicle?"

"Somewhere at the end of the row."

Raquel frowned. "That's consistent, but where would Román have gotten the tools? He's resting from his surgery, right?"

Helsinki took the phone again. "I see Román talk to the boy, Pablo, often times today. Pablo work on tunnel earlier, he could take tools and give them to Román."

Raquel felt a cold satisfaction. "Looks like we have our tool-provider, then. Hand the phone back to Berlin, please."

Helsinki did so, and Berlin came back on the line.

"So, Arturo Román, huh?"

"Yes", she said, feeling anger rise inside her. "Berlin, I think Mr. Román has caused enough trouble for one heist."

"Agreed. Do you want him shot?"

"Goddammit Berlin, _no_!"

"He should be punished, Lisbon. We can't let this pass."

"I agree, but we're not killing hostages, not now, not ever!"

"Then what do you propose?"

She hesitated. "Let me try to reach Sergio."

"Where is he?"

"Out", she said curtly. She tried calling him again, but he still wasn't answering his phone. She squared her shoulders. "Alright, Berlin, you'll have to follow _my _orders on this and we'll see if Sergio wants to make any changes when he gets back."

"Fine."

"Please isolate Mr. Román, tie him up, blindfold and gag him, then put him in a _locked _room for the rest of the heist. He will only be allowed out to go to the bathroom, under armed supervision. When one of you goes in to clean and rebandage his wound, there will always be a second armed person in the room. We're not taking any more risks with this guy, he clearly thinks he's some kind of hero."

"Do you call that 'punishing him'?"

"We're making sure he can't do any more damage. That's enough."

"I don't agree."

"You're not in charge, Berlin. I am."

There was a short silence on the other side of the line, and Raquel felt clearly that he was not convinced.

"Berlin", she said, her tone soft but clear. "When Sergio is not here, _I _am in charge. And I warned you what would happen if you disobeyed orders again. If Mr. Román is hurt in _any _way, I will order Oslo and Helsinki to tie you up and put you right next to Román in that locked room. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly clear, Lisbon, as always. What about Pablo? He's the one who actually stole the tools."

"He's a kid", Raquel said. "You don't touch him."

"But…"

"_You don't touch him_."

"Lisbon…"

"Berlin", she threatened. "I told you what will happen if you disobey orders. Don't make me repeat myself."

"I'll want to talk to the Professor when he gets back."

"That's fine", she said icily. "But for now, you'll do as I say. Isolate Román, and tell Pablo the same will happen to him if he pulls another stunt like that."

Berlin nodded and put down the phone, and Raquel leaned back in her chair with a deep sigh, rubbing a hand over her eyes, suddenly exhausted. She tried calling Sergio yet again, but again there was no answer, and now that she had time to think about it, she was starting to feel really worried. What if Elena had figured out who he was? What if she'd arrested him? Before she could start panicking, however, she took a deep breath and tried to think about it rationally. She suddenly realized that his phone wasn't even ringing before going to voicemail, which meant that he wasn't just not picking up… his phone was turned off. If Elena had arrested him, the first thing she would have done would have been to confiscate his phone. Even if he'd managed to turn it off first, the police IT people had ways of turning it back on – they'd want to access it immediately. So, she concluded, the fact that his phone was off pointed towards him _not_ being arrested.

The second option would be a dead battery, but she'd seen him unplug his phone from the charger only an hour ago, so that couldn't be it, either. Then there was only one reasonable assumption left: he'd deliberately turned his phone off. She frowned, dumbfounded. Why, _why _would he turn off his phone, making him unreachable in case of an emergency? Was he _that _keen on not being disturbed during his 'not-a-date' with Elena? _Why_? The uneasy feeling she already had about his fascination with Elena deepened. He seemed to like her… so much so that he was willing to take big risks to talk to her – so much so that he was willing to have fight after fight about it, that he ignored her concerns and worries and went anyway. And now he'd turned off his phone. She looked down at her own phone, but there were no calls, no messages, nothing, and she hit the desk in frustration. What the _hell _was going on?!

…

When Sergio left the control room, he felt rather guilty about going out when Raquel was so reluctant to let him go, but he knew, he _knew _that he needed to do this. They needed eight more days to complete their mission, and Elena would never give them those eight days unless he got under her skin somehow. Having a drink with her tonight was the perfect way to find out how, and he felt an eager sense of anticipation as he walked towards the Mint. It would be _such _a challenge to try and get her to open up to him, either about herself or about the operation – either would be a win. He would have to approach her with the utmost delicacy.

When he turned the corner to the Mint, he stopped and just looked at the building for a moment. His team was in there, risking their lives to execute his plan. He felt a shiver run down his spine – they were so close… Then he shook himself and walked up to the tents that had been set up at a safe distance. There was police tape separating the general public from the command center, and he went to stand in front of it, his heart beating rather fast at the thrill of being so close to the enemy. Two uniformed police officers walked towards him, and he was just about to ask after Inspector González when they came to stand on either side of him and one of them took him by the arm.

"Could you come with us, sir?"

"What?" he said, alarmed. "Why?"

They didn't answer, simply lifted the police tape and steered him underneath it and towards the smaller of the two tents.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked urgently.

The officer holding him by the arm gave him a cool look.

"Inspector González would like to ask you a few questions."


	30. Panic

**Day 3 – evening **

Sergio tried hard to stay calm as the two police officers steered him into the smaller of the two tents. Elena wanted to ask him questions – what kinds of questions? Was Raquel right? Was she starting to suspect him? Inside the tent, five other civilians were sitting in a row of chairs, and Sergio was deposited next to them.

"Please wait here, sir", the officers said, then went back outside.

"What's going on?" he asked the man sitting next to him.

"No idea. I was just walking home, a couple of blocks from here, and then a cop came up to me and asked me to come with him."

"Me too", said the other men.

At that point, two uniformed officers entered the tent.

"Good evening gentlemen, you have been selected for a random background check by orders of Inspector González. Please give me your ID – in a minute, a colleague will come get your fingerprints. You will be here for a while, so feel free to make a phone call if you need to let someone know you've been delayed."

Sergio's first feeling was one of relief: Elena didn't specifically suspect him after all, it was just a random background check. But as one of the police officers started collecting the other men's IDs, he felt a stab of unease: he had a fake ID, and the identity he had constructed for himself was solid at first glance, but it wouldn't hold up under close scrutiny. If the Inspector had her people really dig into his background, it would quickly fall apart, and then he would be in real trouble. His mind was racing as the officer reached him and held out his hand.

"Excuse me", Sergio said, "but I think there's been a mistake. You see, I'm here at the invitation of Inspector González – I'm a friend of hers."

The cop frowned. "You're a friend of the Inspector's?"

"Yes, Salvador Martín. Please, check with her, she'll confirm."

The cop gave him a suspicious look, still holding out his hand.

"Your ID, please, sir."

He reluctantly took out his wallet and drew out his fake ID.

"Will you tell the Inspector I'm here?"

"Yes, I will, but I'd like your ID anyway."

He handed over the card, wondering how thorough their background check would be.

The cop left the tent, leaving his colleague to stand guard. Sergio watched him go with a feeling of deep unease, then he noticed that the other men were taking out their phones and making calls. He hesitated. He wanted to let Raquel know what was going on, but he knew that the other tent was full of equipment to tap into cell phones and listen in on calls, and if he were Elena, he would _definitely _want to listen in on whatever calls his suspects were making. If he called Raquel, she might say his name and that would blow his cover as Salva. Then he realized that he couldn't risk Raquel calling _him_, either, because even if he didn't pick up, the call might still be traced back to the control room – and whatever happened to him, no matter if he was discovered or arrested, he could _not _allow them to discover the control room – discover Raquel. He hated to do it, because it meant that he would be unavailable in case of an emergency, but he couldn't take any risks: he had to turn off his phone completely.

He glanced at the other men. The officer had said they'd been selected for a random background check, but it didn't look so random to him: all of them were men, they seemed to be more or less the same age, and they were all dressed in a suit.

"Excuse me", Sergio said, addressing their guard. "Can you tell me why we were selected for this background check, specifically?"

"Inspector González has drawn up a profile of our suspect, sir. You have been selected because you fit the specifications: white male, mid-thirties to late forties, wearing anything but jeans."

Sergio suppressed a smile as he remembered his first phone conversation with the Inspector: _what are you wearing_? He'd told her he was wearing jeans and a sweater, and clearly she hadn't believed him. Smart. The other specifications were based on probability: the majority of native-born Spaniards was white, and he didn't have an accent to indicate an immigrant background – she assumed he was male because of the questions he asked her – and he'd clearly been working on this plan for a while, indicating that he wasn't in his twenties anymore. He was impressed, but not surprised, at the accuracy of her assumptions.

A new uniformed officer entered the tent, carrying the necessary equipment to take their fingerprints, and Sergio shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like the idea at all that his fingerprints would be in the system – his brain was working at full force, trying to think of an excuse, a way to escape, but he came up blank. He became increasingly nervous as he watched the cop's progress along the line, taking their fingerprints one by one. Finally, he turned to Sergio.

"Please hold out your hand, sir."

Sergio hesitated, his thoughts and heart racing, but there was no way out.

"Sir?"

Sergio swallowed, then slowly held out his hand.

At that point, Elena walked in, followed by Angel, and Sergio quickly pulled back his hand, tensing hopefully.

"Elena, hi!"

She walked over to him, looking a little embarrassed.

"My apologies, Salva, I'd totally forgotten I'd asked you to stop by at nine. I'm sorry you got caught up in this."

"It's alright", he said, smiling in relief. "Just a misunderstanding."

But Angel was frowning as he turned to Elena.

"You know this guy?"

"Yes, I met him yesterday in Hanoi. We were going to go for a drink."

"Forgive me, Elena, but if he's been talking to you, doesn't that make him _more _suspicious?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You really think mastermind criminals just walk up to police inspectors and introduce themselves? That would make my job _very _easy."

He shook his head. "I suppose… Still, it can't hurt to quickly check his ID, just in case."

Elena looked down at the ID card she was holding, and Sergio held his breath. Before she could reply, however, a uniformed officer ran into the tent.

"Inspector! The Professor is calling!"

Elena raised her eyebrows at Angel.

"Well, that makes this discussion moot."

She turned to the other civilians.

"Alright gentlemen, you can go. We'll return your ID to you in a minute, and you have my apologies for the inconvenience."

Then she handed Sergio's ID back to him, and he put it back into his wallet with a feeling of utmost relief.

"I'm sorry Salva, looks like our drink will have to wait."

"Tomorrow?" he asked hopefully.

She was already walking towards the exit.

"I don't know, work is so unpredictable right now."

He was struck by an idea. "Then how about you give me your number?"

"Elena", Angel reminded her. "The Professor is waiting."

"You know what?" she said. "Let him wait, it will be good for him not to get what he wants immediately."

She turned back to Sergio.

"Alright, I'll give you my number, put it in your phone."

"Oh", he said. "It's turned off, give me a minute."

"I don't have _that _much time. Just give me yours."

She took out her phone and he gave her his number.

"I'll text you when I'm free and we can meet up."

"Alright", he said. "I can come pick you up whenever."

She gave him a half-smile. "I'll tell the uniforms not to arrest you next time."

He grinned. "Sounds good."

He walked out of the tent, feeling quite pleased with himself, and hurried back to the control room, where he knew Raquel would be waiting for him. The moment he walked through the door, she was just putting down the phone, and she looked up at him with a stormy expression that made him hesitate to come closer.

"I _told _you meeting with Elena was a bad idea!"

"What do you mean?" he frowned. "If anything, this proves that it was a _good _idea."

"_What_?! Sergio, you got picked up by the cops! If she'd checked your identity, you could have been discovered!"

"But she _didn't _check my identity, that's the crucial thing!"

"How is that the crucial thing?"

"Don't you see?" he explained eagerly. "They were picking up men with my profile in all the streets around the Mint – I could easily have been brought in for a background check by going out to get us food. If I _hadn't _known Elena, they would then really have checked my ID. But because I _do _know Elena, I was cleared of all suspicion! Knowing her saved me."

"_I _saved you, you idiot! It's because I called them as the Professor that they thought it couldn't be you."

"Yes, I admit that your timing was perfect. But how did you even know to call them?"

"Because I heard them talking through Angel's bug about a guy she'd met in Hanoi yesterday."

"Exactly!" he said triumphantly. "You recognized that it was me _because she knew me_. Otherwise I would have been just another guy in the line-up and they wouldn't have talked about me in a way that would have made you realize that it was me. So again: knowing Elena kept me safe, proving definitively that I made the right decision approaching her!"

She gave him the most begrudging look. "I suppose."

He grinned. "You can't stand it that I'm right about this."

He took his phone out of his pocket and turned it back on, then his eyebrows rose as it started pinging loudly.

"Why did you call me… six times?" he asked, suddenly alarmed. "What happened?"

She crossed her arms, clearly still annoyed with him. "While you were out getting yourself arrested, the cops and guards in the boiler room managed to free themselves."

"What?!" he yelped. "Did they escape?"

"No", she said succinctly, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "I noticed just in time and alerted the team."

"How did they get loose?"

"One of them got hold of some tools. We traced those back to Arturo Román."

Sergio grimaced. "Román _again_?"

She nodded drily. "You'd think he'd stay quiet for a bit after yesterday, but apparently it takes more than one bullet to stop this guy from being an idiot."

He shook his head. "Why would he do something like that? We don't want to hurt anyone, but they _do _have to cooperate."

"Talking about cooperation", she said, "Berlin wants to talk to you."

"Why?" he asked, sitting down at the desk and picking up the phone.

"He didn't approve of my orders – he wants a harsher punishment for Román."

Sergio frowned and pushed the button for the Mint. On the screen, Berlin entered the breakroom and picked up.

Raquel moved away from the desk – she felt like this was a conversation she shouldn't be a part of, and she tried to give Sergio some privacy to talk to his captain, but there was nowhere she could go, and even at the furthest point in the hangar, she could still hear what he was saying.

"Berlin… no, I was out… Yes… I don't care if you don't agree with her decision, when I'm not here, she's in charge and you listen to her… No, I don't even want to know what her orders were, Berlin, she speaks for me and I'm sure she made the right call."

She felt herself relent towards him. It meant a lot to her that he trusted her so unquestioningly.

"This isn't up for discussion", Sergio said curtly, then put down the phone.

She walked back towards the desk.

"You don't even want to know what my orders were?"

"It doesn't matter", he said staunchly. "I'm not overruling you."

She shot him a look. "Thank you."

He nodded. "We're a team. But, just so I know: what did you tell them to do with Mr. Román?"

"I ordered them to tie him up and keep him isolated."

"That sounds about right."

He gave her a long, considering look.

"Raquel, it's such a good thing that you're here with me. This hostage escape might otherwise have happened when I was out, and it could have resulted in disaster. You may have saved the entire operation tonight."

She felt further mollified as he got up and came to stand close to her.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked softly.

She sighed. "No, I'm not. I can't deny that you're right: if you hadn't approached Elena, you could have been in that tent getting a background check right now and I wouldn't have known."

To his credit, he didn't gloat at her admission that he was right. He just gave her a soft look and said:

"I'm going to kiss you now."

She smiled up at him. "Oh, are you?"

"I think I am", he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him, her face tilted up to his.

"What makes you think I'll let you?"

He grinned. "Past experience."

That made her laugh. It felt good to laugh with him.

He bent his head and pressed his lips against hers, softly, and they happily sank into slow, sweet kisses for several long minutes, reconnecting. Then she leaned her head on his chest and allowed herself to relax against him with a sigh.

"I'm glad you're safe", she murmured. "I was so worried when you didn't pick up your phone."

"I'm sorry", he said. "I couldn't risk them tracing any calls back to you."

She nodded, then regretfully let go of him.

"We should get back to the screens."

The moment he sat down, his phone pinged, a message from an unknown number.

Sorry again about getting you arrested. Here's my number. E

He smiled. It was a good sign that she was texting him, that meant she was really interested in meeting up with him. He texted back.

No problem! Let me know when you're free.

"Important message?" she asked him as she sat down next to him.

"No", he said, "just Elena texting me her number."

She raised her eyebrows. "You're texting now?"

"You can't object to that", he said quickly. "There's no way she can figure out who I am through a text message."

"I suppose…", she said.

"I just gave her my number so we could reschedule our drink."

He saw her struggle with herself, and he waited, tense.

"After that you won't try to meet her again, right?"

"That's what we agreed", he nodded.

"Okay", she said, in a tone that indicated she was dropping the matter, and he relaxed. He was glad that she had finally realized that he wasn't in any danger with Elena. He checked his watch.

"You can sleep first if you want."

She sighed and got up to start pacing.

"I don't want to sleep yet, I still have way too much energy. I've been stuck behind this desk all day, in the dark, without being able to move more than a few meters."

She turned to him.

"Sergio… I want to go outside tomorrow."

"What?" he said, alarmed. "No, Raquel, that's not an option."

"I can't stay in this awful place for another 8 days without seeing the sun, Sergio, I'll go mad!"

"I'm sorry", he said, "but the streets are crawling with cops, they might recognize you."

"I could wear sunglasses and a hat."

"It's still a big risk!"

"You take risks _all the time_", she shot back.

"Those are calculated risks", he said. "This would be a _stupid _risk. I'm never in any danger, but you're a fugitive."

"You get to go outside all the time and I'm stuck in here", she said grumpily.

"I only go out when it's necessary", he said. "You going out isn't necessary in any way."

"It's necessary for me not to go stir crazy."

He shook his head. "This is non-negotiable. You're not leaving this hangar."

She bristled – his tone reminded her of something, something unpleasant, but she wasn't sure what it was.

"I can make my own decisions, thank you very much."

"No", he said, "not in this operation. As long as we're in here, you follow my orders – we talked about this beforehand, we established a chain of command and you agreed to it!"

"We agreed that I would follow your orders _about the heist_, yes."

"This _is _about the heist!"

"No, it's not! It's a personal matter, and you don't give me orders about that!"

Her feeling of unease was growing, but she still couldn't quite place it.

"Raquel", he said, "we're not arguing over this. We said weeks ago that you wouldn't leave the hangar – only me. You _agreed _to that! You _know _it's a stupid risk to take, you're just not thinking clearly because you're tired and stressed."

She sighed and rubbed her face. "I suppose."

"I'm sorry you're feeling cooped up", he said in a gentler tone. "I understand, I do. But we need to stick to the plan, and the plan is for you to stay inside no matter what."

She nodded. "Yes, I know."

"It's only one more week", he said soothingly. "It will be alright."

She sat back down and sighed again. "It's just… I know we've only been here three days, but doesn't it feel much longer?"

"It does", he nodded. "It really does."

"I feel like I haven't been outside in _weeks_, and the thought that I still have to stay here for twice as long as we've been here already is…"

She shuddered, and he took her hand and squeezed it.

"The first days will feel the longest, though", he said. "After this, we'll settle into a bit of a routine and time will pass faster."

"I hope so", she said soberly.

"I'm sure of it", he said firmly. "Now talk me through exactly what happened with those hostages."

They spent half an hour talking quietly about the night's events, until the excitement of the evening had worn off for her, leaving her feeling drained and tired. She got up and gave him a long, soft kiss.

"I'm glad you're safe", she repeated.

He cupped her face in his hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"You were amazing tonight, Raquel. I don't know how I'd be running things here without you."

She felt a bit better as she kissed him again, then went to bed.

**Day 4**

She sat down in front of the screens, yawning. Six hours of sleep was sufficient to keep going, but it wasn't enough to actually feel rested – she considered asking Sergio if she could sleep a few extra hours tonight. In the Mint, everyone was still sleeping, and Angel was still at home, so there wasn't anything for her to watch or listen to, and she could feel herself nodding off. She cursed inwardly – she should have asked Sergio to go get her coffee before he went to bed. She couldn't exactly wake him for that now. As time dragged on, she felt her eyelids get heavier and heavier, and at a certain point, she woke up with a start after dozing off. She shook herself – this wasn't good, even if everything was quiet inside the Mint, the team was counting on her to keep an eye on things. She glanced up at the window, through which she could see that the morning sun was coloring the sky orange and gold, and she suddenly felt such a deep longing to walk out that door, to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on her face and walk just a few blocks, stretch her legs, get out of this dark, depressing room for five minutes… just five minutes… could it really hurt?

She glanced at the screens – everything calm and quiet – then at Sergio sleeping in the bed. He didn't have to know, right? There was a coffee place just around the corner, it would literally only take her ten minutes to get back. She told herself it was irresponsible of her to keep sitting here if she was falling asleep – yes, now that she thought of it, getting coffee was actually the _responsible_ thing to do, it would help her stay awake. She looked at Sergio again, and she could clearly hear him say: _You're not leaving this hangar. _Yesterday's feeling of unease crept up on her again, and suddenly she recognized it. A different voice sounded in her mind, saying: _You're not wearing that to work. _She pressed her lips together and tried to tune him out, but Alberto went on, telling her what she wasn't allowed to wear, who she wasn't allowed to talk to, where she wasn't allowed to go. She clenched her jaw. She wouldn't let that happen a second time, she wouldn't let anyone control her anymore – she made her own decisions.

She quietly got up and put on her jacket and a baseball cap, keeping an eye on Sergio to make sure that he was still sleeping soundly, firmly ignoring the little voice in the back of her mind that sounded an awful lot like him and that was telling her in no uncertain terms that she shouldn't be doing this. He had no right to order her around – and beside that, the thought of the outside was irresistible… She slipped out the door before she could change her mind.

She felt instantly better, feeling her heart lift as she took deep breaths of the cool morning air and turned her face into the rays of the sun. She hadn't realized beforehand how hard it would be to stay in the hangar for the duration of the heist – always in the semi-dark, the fluorescent lighting a poor substitute for the sun, the damp smell of the place always in her nostrils. She smiled and set off at a brisk pace, feeling free and ridiculously happy to be out in the early morning quiet. Then she turned a corner, and suddenly she was almost face to face with two uniformed police officers coming from the opposite direction. Her heart skipped a beat and she immediately turned back around and rounded the corner again, cursing quietly – she knew if the cops had seen her turn around at the sight of them, it would have looked incredibly suspicious. She hurried back down the street, half expecting shouts behind her, a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't dare look back until she reached the door of the hangar, when she risked a quick glance down the street and saw to her relief that the cops hadn't followed her. Still, her heart was beating frantically, and she decided not to risk it again, just for a cup of coffee – the adrenaline would keep her awake for a while now.

She opened the door and stepped back inside, careful to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake Sergio, but…

"Raquel!"

She froze. Oh _damn_. She turned around and saw him rush towards her, only wearing pants, clearly in the middle of getting dressed. His eyes were wide with panic, and he rubbed a shaking hand over his eyes as he saw her.

"Oh, thank god!"

Then he looked up at her, angrier than she'd ever seen him before.

"Where the _hell _were you?!"

"I just stepped out for a minute, Sergio, I…"

"_Why_?"

"To get coffee, I really needed it, I was falling asleep in front of the screens and it just wasn't safe…"

"Where is it, then?"

"What?"

"Your coffee."

She shifted uncomfortably. "I… I changed my mind."

He gave her a suspicious look. "You changed your mind about coffee halfway down the street?"

She sighed. "Fine. I saw two cops, so I turned back."

He made a gesture of utter frustration. "_Dammit, _Raquel!"

"I'm sorry, Sergio, I _had _to get out of here!"

"You know you're not allowed outside!"

She bristled. "I'm not _allowed_ outside? I'm an adult woman, Sergio, you don't tell me what I'm _allowed _to do."

"In this operation, I'm your superior, and you ignored a direct order!"

"I told you yesterday: I'll follow your orders when they're about the operation, but this is about my personal freedom of movement and you have no say over that!"

The adrenaline was still racing through her body, amplifying her emotions, making her unreasonably angry. She knew she wasn't entirely in the right here, but she was so fed up with him right now.

"I'm so _sick _of you doing whatever the fuck you want while you expect me to sit quietly and be a good girl!"

"I just want to stick to the plan!" he yelled.

"No, you're trying to control me, like you need to control everything else!"

"That's not true!" he said, outraged. "I'm just trying to keep you _safe_!"

They'd never had a fight like this, going head to head, but the tension of the last few days was all coming to the surface and she knew they had to have it out.

"I can keep myself safe!" she yelled back.

"_Clearly _you can't! You're emotional, you're impulsive, you have _no _restraint!"

"So I should just do as you tell me?"

"Yes!"

"That's not how relationships work, Sergio! You can't control my every move!"

They looked at each other, both unwilling to back down, the air between them electric with tension. _God _he made her angry, he was so exasperating, so stubborn… but then she saw something break behind his eyes and he said in a strained voice:

"But don't you _see_? I can't _lose_ you, Raquel!"

Realization hit her and suddenly she saw things clearly: he was only angry because he worried about her, and he worried because he loved her, he really did, and she loved him too, _fuck_, she loved him so much.

The tension between them broke. She ran to him and he caught her and lifted her off the ground as he kissed her hard, one arm tight around her waist and one hand in her hair. She suddenly wanted him desperately, the adrenaline in her blood firing up a desire for him that was nearly unbearable, and she realized all these built-up emotions had to be released _somehow._ She wrapped her arms around his neck and gripped his hair with both hands as she kissed him back, matching his hunger with her own, and he inhaled sharply as she bit his bottom lip. In a few steps, he carried her to the desk and sat her down on the edge of it, still kissing her deeply, demandingly, then he let one hand disappear in her hair and she gasped as he _tugged_ sharply to tilt her head back, and then his mouth was at her throat, making her shudder as he covered the delicate skin with little bites. Oh, _oh_, she'd never wanted him so badly. Her hands reached down and unbuttoned his pants, then she hopped off the desk for just a moment to kick out of her own pants and underwear. He immediately lifted her back up and pushed apart her knees so he could stand between them.

She grabbed his hair and kissed him hard as his hand dipped between her legs, feeling how wet she was, and his fingers brushing against her made her feel like she would combust. "Fuck me, Sergio", she whispered breathlessly against his lips, "fuck me _now_", and he did, gripping her hips and pulling her roughly to the edge, then pushing into her with one hard thrust that drew a sharp cry from her lips. He started taking her at a fast pace, and she held onto him tightly as she moaned with the ecstasy of it. She drew her fingernails down his bare back and he shuddered and groaned and took her even deeper. A delicious, tingling tension was building inside her, begging to be released, but there was no way he could make her come like this. He seemed to realize it too, because suddenly he drew back and lifted her off the desk, and she gasped as he firmly turned her around and bent her over the desk so she was leaning on her elbows. He gripped her hips tightly and pushed back into her, taking her harder than he ever had before, and she was loving every second of it, _god _this was so hot, the pressure inside of her building until she wanted to scream, every deep thrust pushing her right up to the edge and making a strained "_yes_!" escape from her lips.

Just when she thought she wouldn't be able to bear it anymore, she felt his hand move around her hip to finally, mercifully, dip between her legs, making her hold her breath in anticipation. She came the very instant his fingers touched her, all the pent-up tension rushing through her with a fiery thrill she felt down to her toes, and she cried out loudly, again and again, as he kept taking her hard, rocking her to her core with wave after wave of golden-edged pleasure. When it receded, his fingers and movements eased up for only a few moments, allowing her to take a few shaky breaths, but then he pressed into her once more, touching her again at the same time, and her breath hitched sharply, her fingernails scrabbling at the wood of the desk as, for a few seconds, she was unbearably sensitive, the sensation on a knife's edge between pleasure and pain, but then pleasure won out very firmly, and to her utter surprise she could feel a second orgasm build with astounding rapidity. She could only hang her head and moan and moan as it swept through her, all-consuming, canceling out everything but his fingers in _just _the right spot and his hard length deep inside her, and she barely noticed it when he cried out too.

She was gasping for breath and shaking hard as the feeling receded, leaving her weak at the knees and tingling all over.

"Oh my god", she whispered. "_Oh my god_."

His hands were on either side of her as he leaned heavily on the desk, breathing hard. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and his mouth was at her ear with a soft murmur.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes", she whispered back, still catching her breath. "_Fuck_, Sergio, that was _amazing_."

"Was I too rough?" he asked, his tone a little worried, and she smiled.

"No, my love, not even for a second."

She straightened and turned in his arms as she felt the mood shift now that the urgency of the situation was gone. She looked up at him with sparkling eyes and he gave her an uncertain grin.

"That was… uhm… unexpected. I thought we were fighting."

"All that tension had to go somewhere", she said, and he nodded.

"I suddenly _had _to have you, Raquel, I couldn't stop myself."

"Me neither", she murmured, then lifted her face to press a soft kiss against his lips. They stayed kissing for several long moments, his hand stroking her hair, her fingers caressing the back of his neck. Then she drew back regretfully.

"We still need to talk about this."

He nodded. "But no more fighting. Please."

"No more fighting", she agreed.

He took a quick look at the screens as she dressed herself again, then they rolled their chairs close to each other and sat down, holding hands.

"I'm sorry I got so angry", he started. "But I woke up and you were _gone_, Raquel, I panicked."

"I'm sorry too", she said. "I thought I would be back before you noticed."

"Why did you do it? Don't tell me it was just for a stupid cup of coffee. You could have woken me up for that."

She sighed. "I just _wanted _to do it. I felt trapped, and I resented it that you feel free to take any risk, yet you told me that I couldn't. It felt like you were trying to control me, and honestly, I've had enough of that with Alberto."

"Oh", he said, comprehension dawning on his face. "I didn't think of that, I'm sorry. I don't… I don't want to control you."

"Thank you", she said softly.

"Look", he said, swallowing hard, and she could see that this was costing him. "I accept that I don't have the right to tell you what you can or can't do. But if you go out and get caught, I don't know if I can rescue you again. You escaped from custody once before – if they manage to catch you again, you won't be a low-security prisoner anymore: you'll be a flight risk, and they'll guard you much more carefully. It would be so hard to free you a second time. So _please_ stay here, Raquel, where you're safe. I'm… I'm not ordering you. I'm asking you, I'm _begging _you. Please."

There was such anguish in his eyes that she relented – she couldn't cause him pain like this. She squeezed his hand.

"Alright. Alright, I won't go outside again. You were right, it was a stupid risk and I shouldn't have done it in the first place. But taking orders from you isn't easy – it just feels so terribly familiar, after Alberto… I accept that you're my superior in regards to the operation, but we're still in a relationship. That doesn't just go away."

He nodded. "I thought it would be clear what falls within the bounds of the heist, and what would fall under our relationship, but it's not."

"No", she agreed. "Sometimes it's not."

"Do we work that out on a case-by-case basis? Are we… are we going to have more fights like this?"

He looked so upset at the mere thought of more fights that she wanted to reassure him that they wouldn't, but she knew she couldn't promise that.

She hesitated. "I'm afraid we might."

He gave her a look of horror. "But that was _awful_. I mean, I don't mind having an occasional argument with you, but the shouting…"

"No more shouting", she said quickly. "These were exceptional circumstances, we were both very emotional, we'd both had a moment of panic just before and it just… made everything worse. Besides, you've only slept about an hour, you're tired. I'm still tired too, and then there's the stress of the past few days… honestly, there was bound to be some shouting at some point."

"Does… does it mean there's something really wrong?"

"With us?" she said, surprised. "No, of course not. Couples fight, Sergio, it happens. _Anyone _would fight under this much pressure."

He looked relieved, but only a little. "How do we keep it from escalating, though?"

"Next time we get upset with each other, we just need to take some time to calm down first, and then talk about it like the reasonable people we are. I also think that we should try to reduce stressors. A little more sleep for both of us should make things somewhat easier."

"Alright", he nodded. "We can increase our sleeping time to seven hours. And from now on, I'd like you to tell me if you feel like I'm infringing on your personal freedom." He grimaced. "I would hate it if I started reminding you of your ex-husband."

"That's never happened before, it was just this once. You'd never given me a direct order before and it just brought up bad memories."

"I'll try to limit direct orders in the future. We're a team, you and I. We should make decisions together."

She gave him a soft look. "Thank you."

He leaned in and kissed her, then she said:

"You should sleep now."

"Would you like me to get you some coffee before I go back to bed?"

"Yes, please", she smiled.

He dressed himself properly, then went outside. As he walked along the street, the cool morning air seemed to clear his head, and when he looked back over the past few days, he saw a pattern emerge for him and Raquel. There were moments of calm and even boredom, but between those there were frequent highs and lows of extreme emotion: grief, anger, joy, despair, relief, triumph , fear, panic,… they had lived through all of those and more in only 72 hours, constantly tumbling from one intense emotional state into the next, and he felt the strain it put on their relationship. He had no experience in the matter, but even _he _could sense that this sort of constant turmoil wasn't healthy. It wouldn't break them – after all, he knew with an unshakeable sense of certainty, they were unbreakable – but it might leave cracks they would be unable to fix.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't allow the heist to take such a toll on their relationship that it would be impossible to repair all the damage afterwards – he didn't want to walk away from this with her, only to feel that they could never again be what they had been before the operation, everything just a little bit worse, just a little bit strained, the memory of the heist a grain of sand forever causing friction between them. He realized they desperately needed to restore balance, to normalize things, but how? He wished they could just pause the heist for a while, just return to being _them_, a normal couple doing normal things, a few hours spent just in each other's company without the extreme pressure of the operation. Then he smiled as an idea struck him. Yes – yes, that might work. As he entered the coffee shop and stood in line, his mind started racing to work out the necessary steps he'd have to take, and by the time he left with a coffee in hand, he felt quite satisfied. His relationship with her was the best thing that had ever happened to him – a thing of beauty, of smooth and shining perfection – and while he accepted that the heist might unbalance them sometimes, he had to try to keep it from doing permanent damage. He had to try his hardest, and the little plan he had would be a good start.


	31. Interlude

Sergio woke up around noon, eager to set his plans into motion. For all the ups and downs of the heist, there were also long, long hours of doing nothing except stare at the screens, unable to even talk to Raquel because they had to keep listening to the transmission of Angel's bug, and it bored him to tears. He was glad to have something to do today, and he hoped what he had planned would be able to distract Raquel a bit from feeling cooped up, he hoped it would make her feel better. But even aside from that, he was really looking forward to it himself. He got up and quickly got dressed, ready to get started.

He walked over to where Raquel was sitting in front of the monitors, and bent down to kiss her.

"Good morning", she smiled.

"Good afternoon", he smiled back. "How was your shift?"

"Boring", she sighed.

"Everything under control in the Mint?"

"Yes, nothing noteworthy."

"How about in the command center?"

"Elena is getting restless. She's annoyed with the lack of progress."

He nodded. "Let's keep her busy this afternoon, then. I think it's time we activate Plan Valencia."

"That's a good idea."

He kissed her hair. "You call Berlin to set things in motion and I'll go get us something to eat."

…

He got back just in time to see Tokyo, Helsinki and Berlin on the screen fire rounds into rolls of paper while Nairobi was encouraging the hostages to scream. He grinned and sat down in front of the desk, ready for the call he knew would come. And sure enough…

"Hello Inspector."

"What the _hell _is going on in there?"

He exchanged a satisfied smile with Raquel.

"I don't know what you mean?"

"Those gunshots! What happened?"

"Oh", he said lightly. "That. We were just testing some weapons that had gotten wet, but they worked perfectly. Thank you for asking."

Her tone was icy. "That's bullshit and you know it. Did you hurt any hostages?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Inspector, I'm frankly shocked that you're still doubting my truthfulness. I thought we were past that. I thought we had established a relationship based on mutual trust."

"How can I trust you when you tell me obvious lies?"

"That wasn't a lie, Inspector, I don't know why you would think that."

"It wasn't just a lie, Professor, it was a _clumsy _lie. Please don't insult my intelligence."

Sergio chuckled. "I would _never_."

"So what really happened?"

"I already told you."

"Fine", she snapped. "If you insist that those guns weren't used on the hostages, then you won't mind if I make a request."

"I'm not an unreasonable man, Inspector. I will happily comply with any request of yours."

"Really?" she said drily. "How about you surrender then?"

He grinned. "Except _that._"

"Then I want proof of life for every hostage. Recorded today, in front of a television transmitting live. This is non-negotiable."

"I wouldn't dare argue over such a sensitive issue. We'll comply with your request."

"Good. You have one hour to send them over."

The moment Sergio hung up, Raquel was calling the Mint.

"Rio? Prepare the proof of life, the way we discussed it for Plan Valencia."

"You got it, Lisbon."

Sergio smiled at Raquel.

"Alright. Let's see if this works."

…

Forty minutes later, Rio was sending the edited video footage of the hostages to the command center. Raquel and Sergio listened closely to the transmission of Angel's bug to see if the police would discover that the footage had been tampered with. They weren't disappointed.

"What's the problem?" they heard Elena say.

"The tech guys analyzed the video", a voice answered. "Apparently, it's been edited."

"Why am I not surprised?" Elena said drily. "What did they do?"

"They superimposed footage of the news over old images. We can't take this as proof of life."

"Those gunshots are the headline of every news outlet in the country", Colonel Prieto said. "And the office of the president asks that we go in."

Sergio tensed. He was counting on Elena's level head to keep the police from entering by force. He wasn't disappointed.

"Give me another chance to obtain proof of life", they heard Elena say.

"The president insists we go in _now_."

"They still have a machine gun. The hostages are still wearing the same suits and masks. If we enter by force, people will get hurt."

"Alright", came Prieto's answer. "You have one more chance."

"Put that bastard on the phone", Elena ordered, and Sergio grinned.

"Why Inspector, what a pleasure to hear from you again so soon."

"I'm afraid this isn't going to be a very pleasant conversation."

"But _every _conversation with you is a pleasure. How could it not be?"

"Stop your nonsense", Elena said sharply, and Raquel shot him a look that seemed to agree with her. "You think you're smart, tampering with those proof of life messages?"

He refused to let her dictate the terms of the conversation, however.

"Please, Inspector", he said, his tone a little stern. "We can't reduce our relationship to dry accusations like this. You haven't even asked me how I'm doing, or how my day has been so far."

"You really think this is the time for small talk?"

"I think it's never wrong to be polite."

"If you've tampered with the proof of life messages, I can only conclude that…"

"No", he cut her off. "Try again."

"_Look_", Elena said, clearly trying hard to keep the frustration out of her voice. "Do you _want _us to send in the tanks?"

"No", he said. "But neither do you, so I suggest that you try a little polite conversation."

She paused, then took a deep breath. "How has your day been, Professor?"

Sergio smiled. "Quite satisfactory, thank you for asking. How has _your _day been so far, Inspector?"

"Well", she said calmly, "I have the great misfortune that my job requires me to communicate regularly with a guy who's incredibly full of himself. It's testing my patience."

"Ah", he said, his voice full of sympathy. "_Men._"

"Quite", she said crisply. "Professor, would you be willing to discuss the footage you sent over?"

"How could I refuse such a polite request?"

"We can't accept it as proof of life."

"Then what do you propose?"

"We need to enter the Mint to ascertain that the hostages are all safe and sound."

Sergio and Raquel exchanged a triumphant look.

"You want us to let you in?"

"Yes", she said. "No tanks, no patrols of armed men, just me."

"Will you be unarmed?"

"Of course, but I want to see every single one of those hostages."

"Agreed", Sergio said, smiling in satisfaction. "We will welcome you with open arms."

"And a number of M16's, I expect."

He chuckled. "Can't be too careful, Inspector."

He put down the phone, and Raquel nodded.

"That will keep her busy for a few hours."

"Yes", Sergio said, with a feeling of satisfaction. This would give him time to arrange things without having to worry about Elena calling unexpectedly.

He got up. "I'll leave you to observe the proceedings. I'm going out for a bit."

"Why?"

He smiled mysteriously. "That's a surprise."

She raised her eyebrows. "A surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"I can't tell you that."

She laughed. "Sergio, we're in the middle of a massive heist. Is this really the right time for surprises?"

"Yes", he said decidedly. "It is."

She leaned forward, smiling. "Come on, tell me what it is."

"I don't think you know how surprises work."

"I think you _want _to tell me, though."

"I don't, and you can't make me."

She tilted her head. "You think so? Don't forget that I'm a trained police officer."

He gave her an amused look. "How will that make me talk?"

"I have my methods."

She got up and walked towards him, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him appealingly.

"Tell me where you're going?"

He suppressed a smile. "That's not going to work."

The next moment, though, she ran her fingers through his hair and started stroking the back of his neck, and he involuntarily closed his eyes to savor her caresses.

"Tell me where you're going", she murmured.

He shook himself. "No."

She brushed her lips past his ear, and a shiver ran down his spine.

"Please?"

He swallowed hard. "No."

She pressed her body against his and started kissing his neck, and he felt his own body respond immediately and enthusiastically. He groaned softly.

"This isn't fair."

"Then tell me."

She ran one of her hands down his chest, over his stomach, and he inhaled sharply as she started stroking him through his pants.

"I don't think these are sanctioned interrogation techniques", he said, his voice strained.

She laughed softly and kissed his neck again.

"But are they working?"

He closed his eyes and whispered: "Stop it, Raquel, you know I can't resist you."

"Then don't", she murmured in his ear. "Tell me where you're going."

He made a supreme effort to shake off the effect of her nearness, then he steeled himself, grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away, keeping her at arm's length.

"No", he said firmly. "You won't break me this easily."

"Too bad", she grinned.

He carefully released her. "Stay back!"

She laughed and sat down behind the screens.

"Fine, fine. You go do what you have to do."

He swiveled her chair, stole one kiss, then quickly left the hangar, smiling.

…

When he came back in a few hours later, he put his bag of things behind a barrel by the door so she wouldn't see it, then walked up to the desk, where she was still sitting behind the screens.

"How did it go with Elena and the hostages?"

"Smoothly", she said. "Though Elena looks pretty annoyed at how much time it's all taking. I think you can expect another angry phone call once she gets out."

He grinned. "Excellent."

She yawned. "Oh, I'm so bored and tired."

He gave her a sideways look, then suggested carefully: "Why don't you take a nap?"

She nodded. "Actually, that's a good idea. You can sit here and be bored for a while."

As she got into bed, Sergio watched Elena leave the Mint. He waited until he was sure Raquel was sleeping, then set the next part of his plan into motion. He picked up the phone and called the tent.

"So, Inspector, as you could see, all of the hostages are alive and well."

She sounded distinctly annoyed at him. "You set all of this up just to make me waste time, didn't you?"

He grinned. "Astute as always, Inspector."

"Why are you calling me?"

"Well", he said. "I have a proposition."

…

When Raquel woke up from her nap, she felt better than she had in days. She stretched luxuriously, then got out of bed to wash at the sink. As she was washing her hair, she wished yet again that they could have installed a shower, but this former garage simply didn't have the plumbing for one. When she was clean, she put on fresh clothes and walked over to Sergio, sitting at the desk. He looked up and smiled.

"How was your nap?" he asked. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes", she said. "Much better."

"Good", he said, getting up. He drew her close to him and kissed her softly. "Are you ready for your surprise?"

She'd already forgotten all about that, but she smiled in delight as she remembered. "Yes."

She wondered if maybe he'd gotten her something to make up for their fight that morning, like flowers or chocolates. Instead, he bent his head and whispered in her ear:

"Do you trust me?"

The question surprised her. "In what way?"

He smiled. "In general."

She looked up at him, and the look in his eyes was warm and steady.

"Yes", she said. "Of course I trust you."

He drew one of his ties out of his pocket. "Then I'd like to blindfold you."

She raised her eyebrows. "That's… that's not what I was expecting."

"I need to arrange a few things, and I don't want you to see until it's ready."

"Can't I just turn around?" she laughed, and he grinned.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Alright", she smiled. "Blindfold me then."

He gestured towards a chair he'd placed at the side of the room. "Sit."

She sat down and felt a delicious flutter of excitement in her stomach as he placed the blindfold over her eyes and the world went dark. She felt him tie a knot, then she shivered as suddenly his warm breath was at her ear.

"Is that alright?" he murmured, and she nodded, a little breathless.

"Good", he said, then he started kissing her neck.

She gasped, then hummed in contentment and tilted her head.

"You smell nice", he murmured, then he straightened up. "A little patience now."

He walked away from her, and she heard him move things around, but she couldn't quite place any of the sounds. What _on earth _could he be doing? After a few minutes, she was desperately curious. She couldn't resist the temptation to take a peek, just for a moment… She lifted her hand slowly to her blindfold.

"Raquel!"

She jumped and quickly lowered her hand again.

"I was just… my nose itched", she lied.

"No it didn't", he said, amused, and she heard him walk over to her.

She sat up straight as she sensed his presence in front of her.

"You were peeking", he admonished her, his voice soft but stern.

She suppressed a smile. "You have no proof of that."

He bent closer until his mouth was at her ear.

"If you can't control yourself, I'm going to have to tie your hands too."

She shivered in delight as he kissed her neck again, then he murmured:

"Will you behave?"

"I don't know", she smiled. "What do I get if I behave?"

He sounded amused. "You want something in return for not acting like a child?"

"Yes", she said, unabashed. "What can you offer me?"

"I'm already preparing a surprise for you, isn't that enough?"

"I don't know what it is, though. I don't think that's going to motivate me sufficiently. Offer me something else."

He seemed to think about it for a moment, then he said:

"How about this…?"

He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up. The next moment, she felt his lips brush against hers, the softest, most fleeting sensation, making her open her lips with a sigh and lean forward for more.

"Do you want a kiss?" he murmured.

"Yes", she whispered.

"Would that be… sufficient motivation to be patient?"

"I don't know", she smiled. "Let's see how good it is, first."

He laughed. "_Excuse_ me?"

"You're not buying me with a quick peck on the cheek, is all I'm saying. Make it a decent kiss."

"Hmm", he murmured. "Let me see what I can do…"

She still couldn't see him, and he kept her waiting for several long moments, tense with eager anticipation. Then he placed his fingers under her chin again and ran his thumb slowly over her lips, and she loved that he was taking his time, building up to it. Then he pressed his mouth against hers, softly at first, but when she parted her lips, he deepened the kiss with one hand in her hair, and she reached up blindly to wrap her arms around his neck as she returned his kiss with enthusiasm. He kissed her harder, more demandingly, and she felt the inevitable effect his kisses always had on her as her body woke up to him, her heart beating faster, her skin craving his touch, and a deep, vibrant thrum of desire starting up in her lower belly. He kept his mouth on hers for several long moments, then he pulled back, leaving her feeling dazed and slightly breathless.

"Good enough?" he asked her.

She swallowed hard. "Yes."

He nuzzled her ear. "Will you behave now?"

"Yes", she whispered.

"Good", he said, then pressed one more soft kiss to her lips.

She heard him move away from her again, and she hoped to _god _his surprise was of the bedroom variety. Then she remembered with a distinct feeling of disappointment that they couldn't afford to be distracted from the screens for more than a few minutes, so the hour-long lovemaking session she really craved was out of the question. She sighed and promised herself they would make up for it – _more _than make up for it – once they were out of here and safe on their island.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and she stiffened in alarm and reached up to take off her blindfold, but he was next to her immediately to push down her hand and say:

"Don't worry, this is part of the surprise."

She heard him open the door and exchange a few words with someone, but she couldn't understand what they were saying. The door closed again, and a little later she saw the light at the edges of her blindfold change from the usual cold white of the fluorescent lighting to something much warmer, and she frowned in confusion. _What _was he doing?

Then she heard him walk over to her and she felt him take her hand.

"Come with me", he said softly, then guided her by her hand to the middle of the room, where he sat her down on another chair. He came to stand behind her to undo the knot of her blindfold, and her eyebrows went up in surprise as the fabric fell away.

She was sitting at a small table, set for two, with a candle in the middle and plates of food that smelled heavenly. There were glasses of wine, and the tablecloth was covered in small, delicately folded origami flowers. The light was soft and warm, and she turned her head to see several strings of fairy lights.

"What… what is this?"

"A date", he smiled.

"But Sergio, we can't have a date! We're in the middle of a massive operation, we can't afford to be distracted from…"

She looked over at the screens, then saw with a jolt of alarm that they were black and silent.

"What happened?" she asked him urgently, getting up. "Did something malfunction?"

He pushed her back down.

"No, no, don't worry. I turned them off."

"_What_?"

"We don't need to watch the screens tonight", he explained, walking over to them. "Look."

He turned on one of the screens and she could see the hostages gathered in a group in the museum, guarded by the team. He turned on the second screen and showed Oslo and Helsinki guarding the hostages in the boiler room.

"The entire team is watching over the hostages tonight", he said. "So we don't have to keep an eye on things."

"What about the hostages operating the presses?"

"The presses are running at reduced capacity."

She stared at him. "But… but we said the presses would _always _run at full force, except when maintenance is needed."

"They'll be running on their own for a few hours so all the hostages could be gathered together and guarded."

"But Sergio", she said, astounded. "That will cost us _so_ _much_ money."

He nodded. "Everything we lose tonight will be taken out of my share. Nobody else will earn any less because of this."

"But we're talking _millions_ here!"

He looked at her steadily. "I don't care. It's worth it to have an evening with you."

She was speechless.

He turned the screens off again. "With all the hostages in one place, we don't have to watch the cameras tonight. If something goes wrong now, there's nothing we can do about it anyway, and they can still call us if necessary."

"But what about the police? Wait, actually, why am I not hearing the transmission from Angel's bug?"

"Because Angel is at home. The police won't bother us tonight."

"How could you possibly know that?"

He smiled. "I negotiated a truce with Elena. Twelve hours."

"And she just accepted it?"

"Her team is tired, so she didn't need much persuading, but I also offered her five hostages in return. We'll release them tomorrow. She's respecting the truce: I heard her send everybody home through Angel's bug."

He came to stand next to her and smiled.

"So that means we have nothing to do or to worry about for the next few hours."

She grabbed his tie and pulled him down for a kiss.

"But _why_?" she whispered. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I missed you", he said softly.

"What do you mean?" she laughed. "We've been cooped up here together for four days. You've barely spent an hour away from me."

"But our attention was always on the screens", he said. "I couldn't _really _be with you. I couldn't hold you. I couldn't sleep next to you. I couldn't even talk to you for more than ten minutes because we were always listening to that stupid bug. Tonight, for a few hours at least, we won't think about the operation and just enjoy each other's company."

He got up and walked over to the record player, and a moment later a soft song started playing, making the atmosphere complete. She was still staring at him in astonishment as he sat down across from her and smiled.

"Eat", he said. "Before it gets cold."

She turned her attention to the food, and noticed for the first time that this was definitely not their usual take-out.

"Where did this come from?"

"From the best restaurant in the neighborhood", he said with a satisfied look. "They usually don't deliver, of course, but I persuaded them to make an exception."

He held out his glass of wine to her, and she lifted her own glass and clinked it against his.

"To a successful heist", she said.

"And to a night away from it", he added.

They sipped their wine, and he said:

"I wanted to get champagne, but it felt like tempting fate… like we would be celebrating the success of the operation before anything is certain."

"I agree", she nodded.

They started eating, and she enjoyed the taste of actual, proper food for a change.

"Where did you get those lights?" she asked him, looking at the strings of fairy lights which were making the usually cold and dark room look almost cozy.

"From the back-up location", he said. "I went by there this afternoon to pick them up."

She lifted one of the small origami flowers from the table.

"And these?"

"I wanted to get you proper flowers", he explained, a little apologetically. "But the only flower store in the neighborhood was closed, so… I made these."

"But that must have taken you hours!"

He shrugged. "I had time while you were sleeping."

She smiled at him. "I love them."

Suddenly, his phone pinged. He picked it up and read the message.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Elena. She says she's unexpectedly free tonight and asks me if I want to go for that drink later."

She stiffened, but tried to keep her voice neutral as she carefully asked: "Will you?"

"What?" he said, looking up at her with a frown. "No, of course not. Tonight is for you and me."

She felt a warm glow in her stomach as he typed a quick reply, then turned off his phone and put it away.

"You know", she said, as they returned to their food. "I'm a little surprised that you got her to agree to a date."

He looked mildly offended. "Hey! I'm not _totally _devoid of charm. After all, I managed to get _you_, didn't I, and you can't keep your hands off me for five minutes."

She laughed. "Well yes, you're cute, that isn't the issue. It's just that you seem so uncomfortable around women, like when you interact with Tokyo or Nairobi."

"True", he nodded. "Most women do make me uncomfortable."

"But not Elena?"

He frowned in thought. "She's not really a _woman_, though."

Raquel raised her eyebrows. "No? What is she then, a particularly attractive gorilla?"

He chuckled. "I didn't mean it _that_ way, I just meant that she's more of a… a puzzle, you know? A code I have to crack. I'm not interacting with her socially, I'm interacting with her in a… professional capacity, of sorts."

She nodded, then smiled. "Did I make you uncomfortable before we were together?"

"Oh _god yes_", he said. "But in an entirely different way than Tokyo or Nairobi."

She tilted her head. "Why are you uncomfortable around women in the first place?"

He considered this. "I just… haven't been around them much, I suppose. So I never really got to know them as… people. They've always been a bit of a mystery, I just never know what to say to them, and I'm never really sure what they want from me. Flirting in particular makes me uncomfortable, because I don't know how to flirt back and I don't want to, either."

"I understand", she nodded. "So when I flirted with you…?"

"That was very different", he said. "Because I was so attracted to you, even though it took me a while to realize, and I didn't know what to do with that. It was all so new to me. But as a _person_… you made me feel so comfortable."

"Really?" she smiled, and he nodded.

"Talking to you was so easy. It always felt so natural to be next to you, to have you touch me, to allow you into my personal space or my room."

He paused for a moment, thinking.

"You know how it feels for me to interact with other people?"

"Tell me."

"I have a finite amount of social energy, and every interaction costs me a bit of that. Some people require a lot of energy, others only a little."

"Do I cost you only a little?"

He gazed at her steadily.

"Raquel", he said softly. "When I'm with you…"

He hesitated. "I'm afraid the best way to describe it isn't very romantic."

"That's okay", she smiled. "Tell me anyway."

He took a breath. "When I'm with you… it feels like when you plug your phone into the charger. You don't _cost _me energy, Raquel, you _give _me energy, you give it so freely. I've never felt that with anyone before."

She felt so pleased as he reached across the table and touched her hand, looking at her with a soft smile. The heist had created a rather painful distance between them over the past few days, but tonight it felt like they were at the house in Toledo again, the Professor far away, and he was only Sergio, soft and sweet, _her _Sergio, the man she'd fallen in love with.

"I spent a long time trying to resist you, Raquel", he said softly. "But in the end, what I felt when I was with you was just too big, too strong, too _remarkable_ to resist."

She smiled at him, then shuddered at a sudden memory. "Oh, all of those weeks we tried resisting were so horrible. Pretending to be just friends when all I wanted to do was kiss you silly."

He gave her a serious look. "Trying to stay away from you was the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life. It was… a physical impossibility."

"That's sweet", she smiled, but he shook his head.

"No, I'm not trying to be sweet, I'm stating a fact." He frowned at her. "You can't imagine what it was like for me, Raquel. You… well, you've pointed out to me that I need to be in control of things, and if that's true for my environment, it's a thousand times more so for _myself_. It was so important to me to be in control of my mind, my emotions and my body – I established that control when I was in my twenties, and it hadn't wavered in _years_. And suddenly there you were, and… and I _lost _it, all of it, and so completely. I couldn't stop thinking about you, and I was experiencing alarming physical symptoms whenever you came near me."

She grinned, and he chuckled.

"Yes, sure, laugh at me, it's funny _now. _But it was terrifying for me back then! The thing is, I think I could have ignored all of that – not completely, but sufficiently – if it hadn't been for the way you made me _feel_. You didn't even have to touch me, talk to me, even look at me, for me to feel it. Just being in the same room as you was enough to experience it: that energy you give me, that sense of… of a switch inside of me flicking from 'off' to 'on', that… that desire to live, to _live_, Raquel… I'd never felt it so strongly. I couldn't ignore that. I couldn't let it slip away, I couldn't let you just disappear from my life."

She listened to him talk with the softest feeling. He didn't often talk about his feelings, and definitely not with this many words, and she was loving every second of it.

He continued: "And from the moment I kissed you, I was sure."

"Sure about what?" she smiled. She knew perfectly well, because she'd been sure about it too, but she still liked to hear him say it.

"That what I felt for you would never go away again. That you made everything better. That you made everything right."

She couldn't not kiss him after that. She got up and walked around the table, and he shifted his chair back so he could pull her into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he cupped her face between his hands and kissed her so tenderly it made something flutter in her chest. Then he pulled back and whispered:

"You still do, you know. Make everything better."

She leaned her forehead against his. "You make everything better too."

"Raquel", he said, his voice low. "I'm so sorry for everything I've put you through the past few days. The worry and the fights and the… the awful things I've said to you. You need to know that this is how I _really _feel, always, underneath it all."

"I know", she said softly. "I do. But it's nice to hear you say it."

They stayed like that for a little while, just leaning their foreheads together. Then she shook herself and drew back with a smile to give him one more kiss.

"Let's not let this good food get cold", she said, then went back to her own chair.

"So", she smiled as she sat back down and picked up her fork again. "You were sure right from the start, were you?"

"Yes", he smiled back. "I was."

"Didn't you tell me you merged our files very early on?"

He nodded. "The moment we got together."

"That does surprise me", she admitted. "You'd never been in a relationship before… didn't you want to know if it would work out first?"

He considered this for a moment, then shook his head. "We'd been living together for months. I knew you, and you knew me, it was clear that we were compatible. And the better I got to know you, the more I liked you. So I was fairly certain I'd only keep liking you even more as we went on."

"Still, it was a big thing to do, merging our files." She laughed. "You basically decided on that very first evening that we would live together."

He gave her a warm look. "Well, it turns out that my instincts were right, because I haven't regretted it for one moment."

She smiled at him, but then turned more serious. "I do hope you realize that having a household with a child is very different from the way we were living in Toledo."

He nodded soberly. "Yes, I do."

She gave him a careful look. "How do you feel about becoming a parent? We haven't really talked about it because of the preparations of the heist, but it's getting close now…"

He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Well, I… I'm not sure how I feel about it, because I'm not sure what it will be like. I just hope it won't be too much of a shock to your daughter to be kidnapped from her house one day to go live with a stranger."

"She'll get used to it", Raquel reassured him. "And I'm sure she'll like you."

He looked up anxiously. "Do you think so? Because I have no experience with children at all."

"She's not a toddler anymore", she said. "She's an actual person you can talk to."

Thinking about her daughter caused a sudden stab of longing to shoot through her, but she pushed it away. Soon, she told herself. Soon she'd be holding her again.

"What's your parenting style like?" Sergio asked her, still with that same anxious look in his eyes. "I know it's important to be on the same page about that."

She frowned. "Uhm… I'm not sure."

"Are you a permissive parent, or are you very strict?"

"Somewhere in the middle, I think?"

"Are rules to be followed at all times or can exceptions be made?"

"That… that really depends on the situation. And on the rule in question."

"Should I read some parenting books before I interact with her?"

She smiled. "That's very sweet of you. But different parenting books give wildly differing advice, and I can't recommend you any that I know I'll agree with."

He gave her a look of horror. "You never read any?"

"I read a book about babies when I was pregnant, but ever since she was a toddler I've figured things out on my own, with some occasional advice from my mother."

He frowned at her. "Raquel, this all sounds very vague. I'd prefer a consistent system I could follow."

She laughed. "Sergio, raising a child is a messy business. I can't present you with a book of rules to follow because I don't have one, I'm sorry."

"Then how do you know you're doing it right?"

"I don't", she shrugged. "I just do what feels right in the moment."

He considered her for a moment. "You don't have a very firm grasp on this parenting business, do you?"

She laughed again. "No, I don't. Nobody does."

"That's not very reassuring."

She thought about it, then said: "Look at it this way: parenting is a system of trial and error. You try things out and you take note of what works."

"Alright…" he said slowly. "I suppose that's a valid procedure."

"Just take your cue from me", she said gently. "I'll be there to help you and make sure things run smoothly."

There was a clear look of relief in his eyes. "Thank you."

She kept looking at him for a moment as he returned his attention to his plate, and there was a warm glow in her chest. He was so sweet to worry about this. There would be a period of mutual adjustment, of course, but she had no doubt at all that he and Paula would get along fine after a while, and she was confident that he would be a good parent. She smiled at the thought of their little family, then continued eating.

When the food was gone, she sighed in satisfaction and threw him a fond look.

"Looks like your meticulous organization skills aren't just good for planning heists", she smiled. "But still… I can't believe you did all this for me."

He smiled back. "Of course. But we're not done yet."

She raised her eyebrows. "There's _more_?"

He nodded. "You wanted to go outside, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then we're going outside."

She stared at him in disbelief. "_What_? But Sergio, we had a _huge _fight only this morning because I went outside! And now you're on board with it?"

"You were reckless", he said. "When you go outside _with me_, the circumstances will be carefully controlled."

She sat up straighter. "What do you propose?"

"First of all", he said, "you'll be wearing the wig again, the one you wore when we went into town for our date a few weeks ago."

She wrinkled her nose. "The one that makes me look like Tokyo?"

He grinned. "Exactly. And fake glasses too. Second of all, this time it's dark outside. That, in combination with the wig and glasses, will make you much harder to recognize."

"What about police patrols?"

"We're in the middle of a truce, remember? Elena sent everybody home, including the patrols. There's only a skeleton crew left in the tent. There won't be more police on the streets than usual, and we won't go far."

She was starting to feel excited. "Okay… so where are we going? We can't go anywhere with people."

He smiled mysteriously. "You'll see."

She put on the wig, glasses, and a jacket, then they went outside together. The moment the door of the hangar closed behind them, she felt such a sense of freedom, and she took a deep breath of the cool night air. He took her hand and led her down the street, and it felt so nice to walk next to him, like they were normal people out for an evening stroll. At the corner of the street, there was a small park, and he stopped in front of the gate.

"Here we are."

"The park?" she said in surprise.

"Yes."

"But it's closed", she remarked, pointing at the locked gate and a sign which said _The park closes at sundown._

"Not tonight", he smiled, and drew a key out of his pocket. "Not for us."

She turned to him in astonishment. "Where did you get that?"

"I tracked down the guy who's responsible for closing the park every night, and persuaded him to let me have a copy of the key."

She grinned in delight. "You've been very persuasive today."

He grinned back as he opened the gate. "For the right cause, I can be."

He locked the gate behind them, then they walked hand in hand into the park, the path in front of them lit by the light of a nearly full moon. She was enjoying being out of the hangar with every fiber of her being, and just when she thought the evening couldn't get any better, they rounded a corner and in front of them was a little grassy spot surrounded by bushes. Spread out on the grass was a blanket, with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"What's this?" she exclaimed.

"Dessert", he smiled. "You _have _to try this wine, it's amazing."

She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close.

"You're just full of surprises tonight", she murmured, looking up at him with shining eyes.

He looked down at her, his expression so warm she felt an answering flutter in her stomach. Oh, when he looked at her like that… She stood on her toes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body to his, and he closed his arms around her waist and held her close. They remained wrapped up in each other for several long moments, sinking into kiss after kiss, then they reluctantly broke apart and sat down on the blanket. He poured her a glass of wine, and her eyebrows went up in surprise when she tasted it. It was delicately sweet, with a slight sparkle, and truly delicious.

"This is ice wine", he explained. "The grapes aren't harvested until after the first frost. It's perfect for a special occasion."

They talked quietly as they sipped their wine, and when her glass was empty, she put it aside, then pulled off the itchy wig and lay down on the blanket with her head in his lap. He softly stroked her hair as she looked up at the clear night sky, marveling at the multitude of stars.

"You know", she sighed. "Looking up at the stars always gives a nice sense of perspective."

"In what way?"

"Don't they make our earthly concerns seem small and unimportant?"

He tilted his head back and silently regarded the night sky for a few moments. Then he looked back down at her.

"Not really, no."

"But there are entire galaxies out there, so much bigger than we are."

"But empty, as far as we know." He paused for a moment, struggling to put his thoughts into words. "The movements of the stars are impressive, sure, but they're not _important_, because the stars don't care. Our earthly concerns matterbecause we are here to care about them."

She considered him. "You're saying importance is relative."

"Exactly. Importance, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Somewhere in the universe, a supernova is exploding, destroying entire worlds. But if nobody has seen it, if nobody cares, is it any more important than our date tonight?"

She grinned up at him. "Our date tonight is more important than a supernova exploding?"

"It is", he said earnestly. "Because _this _I care about."

Her eyes were shining as she looked at him.

"I didn't know you had such a philosophical side."

"It's not because I don't usually share these thoughts that I don't have them", he mumbled, a little embarrassed.

"You know", she said thoughtfully. "You don't look like it, but really you're a romantic."

He frowned. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No", she said softly. "It's just unexpected because you're so rational most of the time." She lightly touched his hand. "Believe me, I love it."

He contemplated her silently as he stroked her arm, so many more things he wanted to say. How could she think the stars were bigger than _they_ were? Was there anything in the known universe that was softer than her skin? Was there any star brighter than her smile? Was there anything that could compare even in the _slightest _to the feeling he got when she kissed him? Were there physical forces more significant than what he felt for her, in this exact moment? It seemed absurd. What did the universe matter, so cold and distant, when she was here next to him, warm and full of life.

Her eyes shifted from the sky to him, and she smiled.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

He countered her question: "Why are you looking at the stars?"

"Because they're beautiful."

"Yes", he murmured. "Exactly."

She sat up and gave him a delighted smile. When she looked at him, there was such a soft expression in his eyes that it made her ache a little as he reached out a hand and carefully tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. The look he was giving her tugged at something inside of her chest, and she leaned in to him without thinking, drawn to him beyond the possibility of resistance, the option of _not _kissing him not an option at all. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply, and they fell back onto the blanket, she on top of him, and he sighed in contentment as he wrapped her in his arms.

"Do you want to make love right here?" she whispered between kisses. "Under the stars?"

He hesitated. "I see the romance of it, but don't you think it's a little cold?"

"Well, we don't have to undress completely", she smiled, "and a little physical activity would help keep us warm."

He was still hesitating.

"Raquel", he whispered, "you know I always, _always _want you, but… I want to do it right tonight. I don't want to do it quickly, shivering in the cold, without being able to feel your skin – quietly, because the street is right behind those bushes."

She smiled down at him. "How _do _you want to do it, then?"

He closed his arms tightly around her and rolled over so he was on top of her now. He bent his head to whisper in her ear:

"I want to take my time with you. I want to undress you so I can see you, so I can touch you, so I can cover every inch of you with kisses. I've had enough of quickies – I want to make love to you slowly, properly, and _very _thoroughly tonight."

Shivers were running down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold, as the warm rumble of his voice made her imagine the most delicious things. Her desire for him, always right underneath the surface, was stirring as a glowing ember in her stomach, and she realized she wanted to take it slow, too, make it last, enjoy his kisses and caresses for what little time they had.

"Let's go back inside", she whispered.

"Are you sure?" he teased with a smile. "What about the fresh air?"

"Fresh air is overrated."

He chuckled and got up, then held out his hand to help her up too, pulling her close to him in the process to kiss her.

"Thank you for this", she said as he released her. "It was so nice to be out."

He nuzzled her ear as he replied: "I'll make it even nicer to go back in."

She smiled broadly as they gathered their things and made their way back out of the park. When they stepped back into the hangar, she was grateful for the warmth inside, and she lost no time pulling him to the bed. When they got there, however, they were confronted by the fact that there was very little space between the top bunk and the lower – really just enough to lie down, not to sit up or even lie on top of each other. They looked at it in dismay for a bit, then Raquel said:

"Okay, that won't do."

"We really didn't think there would have to be more than one person at a time in that bed."

She spread out their park blanket on the floor next to the bed.

"Put the mattress on this, that will give us much more space."

"Good idea", he smiled, and he lifted the mattress onto the blanket. Then he went to the table where they'd had dinner, and collected the strings of fairy lights to arrange them around the mattress on the floor so it lay in a nest of warm, glowing lights.

"There", he said, "that's at least a little better."

She smiled in delight as he walked over to her, then he came to stand close behind her. He carefully brushed her hair away from her neck, and she bent her head with a happy sigh as he started kissing her there. He took off her jacket, and she immediately started unbuttoning her shirt, but he plucked her hands away.

"I want to undress you", he murmured in her ear, and she shot him a look over her shoulder.

"Alright, but don't take too long."

"We said we'd take it slow tonight."

"We can take it slow once we're actually naked. Any time we lose undressing is time we could spend _in the bed_."

He smiled and kissed her neck again. "You're always so impatient. It makes you miss out on one of the greatest joys in life."

"Really?" she said, amused. "And what is that?"

He gently pulled her closer so her back was pressed against him, then put a hand under her chin and carefully tilted her head back so her throat was exposed. Then he started tracing his fingers over her skin, slowly, starting right underneath her chin and moving downwards in a straight line, his touch light as a feather on the delicate skin of her throat, then brushing past her collarbone, over her chest, drawing a line between her breasts, and she held her breath and didn't move as his hand slid slowly, slowly downwards, trailing over her stomach, then even lower to dip between her legs and stroke the inside of her thighs. She closed her eyes, suddenly weak with longing, as he whispered in her ear:

"Anticipation."

She shivered and pressed herself even closer against him. He kept his mouth close to her ear as he reached back up and opened the first button of her shirt.

"Time I spend undressing you isn't time I _lose_", he murmured. "I'm not saying it's _the best _part, but it's one of my favorite parts nonetheless."

He opened the second button.

"It's time I can spend looking forward to everything else…" A third button. "Imagining the things I want to do…"

She swallowed hard as he undid the next button.

"With every button I get closer to your skin", he said softly. "That's a lovely thought."

Finally he reached the last button and her shirt hung open. He slipped it off one shoulder and kissed her there, then he pressed kisses along the line of her shoulder and the back of her neck to her other shoulder, and the shirt dropped to the ground. She was wearing a black top underneath, and instead of pulling it over her head straight away, he slipped his hand underneath it and stroked her stomach.

"You're so soft", he whispered. "I love touching you."

Then, unexpectedly, he went down on his haunches behind her, pushed up her top and kissed her lower back. She smiled as he took her by the hips and turned her around to kiss her stomach. He started kissing her just above the waistband of her pants, then moved up and up and up, pushing her top up in the process to reveal more and more skin. He kissed his way up between her breasts and over her chest. Finally she raised her arms and he pulled her top off completely, but he kept kissing her, over her throat and along the line of her jaw until he reached her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they sank into the kiss for a while as he stroked her bare back.

"See how undressing can be fun too?" he said as they broke apart, and she smiled and nodded, running her fingers through his hair.

"Maybe I don't mind it that much after all…"

"Good", he smiled back.

"Do I get to undress you now?"

His smile broadened. "Of course."

She looked into his eyes as she slowly undid his tie, then pushed his jacket off his shoulders. As her fingers started on the buttons of his shirt, she lifted her face and started kissing his neck, and he heaved a sigh of contentment. As she opened his buttons one by one, she let her mouth follow her fingers, kissing her way down his chest and stomach. As she kneeled down in front of him, she could see that he was hard, and she pressed a kiss to him through the fabric of his pants, making him gasp.

"Oh, Raquel…"

She looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"Oh no", she teased. "Anticipation, remember? It's your favorite part."

He laughed and the tension broke as he pulled her back up and swept her into his arms to kiss her. He allowed her to unbutton her own pants, but he still insisted on kneeling down in front of her take them off, so he could press soft kisses to the inside of her thighs that made her sigh. He spent several long moments running his hands lovingly over her hips and down her legs, before getting back up so she could unbutton his pants, too. Soon they only had their underwear left, and when he took hers off with gentle hands she suddenly felt very vulnerable, standing naked in the middle of the large, dark hangar. But then he wrapped his arms around her protectively, and the feeling faded in the delight of having his skin warm against hers as he kissed her. Still…

"Bed now?" she said, looking up at him hopefully as they broke apart, and he smiled and nodded.

They stepped over the glowing strings of lights and slipped naked between the sheets, smiling at each other and cuddling close. As she lay back in the pillows, Raquel looked up at the dark ceiling above them and sighed.

"It's much warmer in here than outside, but it's still not the most romantic setting, no matter how many lights you put around the bed."

He looked around, considering the room. "Hmm. Very true."

Then his face lit up. "Ah! I know how to solve this…"

He grabbed the sheet and pulled it over their heads. It was a thin white sheet, so the fairy lights shone through it, creating a warm cocoon suffused by a soft golden glow.

"There", he murmured. "Forget about the heist. Forget about this stupid hangar. We could be anywhere right now: a beach in the Caribbean, or a five-star hotel on a mountain top somewhere. Where do you want to be?"

She didn't have to think about it.

"Home", she said. "Our house in Palawan, after all of this is over. Safe, with Paula in the next room, and the rest of our lives in front of us."

He nodded earnestly. "Then that's where we are."

She looked at him, feeling the golden glow of the lights inside of her as well, filling her with warmth and happiness. She loved him so much. She loved him in every way, she loved every part of him, but this – this was how she loved him the most: unguarded, gentle, caring, and _with _her, really with her, in the moment. She reached out a hand and stroked his cheek, and he closed his eyes at her touch and shifted closer.

"I can't wait to start my life with you", he whispered. "It's… it's been so amazing already, these months with you, but really it was only just the prelude. Soon, it will really start, and we can be normal and do normal things."

"Like what?" she smiled.

He gave her the brightest smile in return. "You know, I have no idea what normal couples do. But I can't wait to find out with you. Tell me something you want to do once we have our home."

"Watch a movie with you on the couch", she said. "Sharing a blanket."

"That sounds nice", he said softly. "What else?"

"Cooking together."

He laughed. "Last time we cooked together, you had to stitch my hand. Are you sure you want to risk it again?"

She grinned. "You'll get better. I'll teach you."

He gave her a warm smile. "I'd like that."

She stroked his beard. "Is there anything _you _want to do?"

He thought about it for a moment, then he said quietly: "Come home to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Just… that I'd be out, for… for whatever reason, and when I get home… you'd be there."

She smiled. "Of course I'd be there. It would be our house."

He gave her a steady look. "Raquel… I've never come home to anyone before. I've never wanted to. But now… it seems like the most wonderful thing in the world."

She suddenly understood, _really _understood, how completely he was prepared to change his life for her. It wasn't just a question of moving in with someone new like it was for her, it would be a complete reversal of his entire way of life, and she hadn't fully grasped that before now. They'd talked about Paula before and he seemed ready to take on that responsibility, but she knew from experience that the arrival of a child in your life wasn't something you could ever be fully prepared for. It was a hard thing for anyone to adapt to, but for someone like him? He'd been alone all of his life, he'd always been able to have things exactly the way he liked them, quiet and neatly ordered. How would he react to the inevitable mess and noise of family life? She suddenly felt worried, and he noticed immediately.

"What's wrong?"

"I just hope you'll be able to get used to it."

"To what?"

"Living with other people. I'm afraid you'll miss your freedom, your independence."

He smiled. "I will gladly let myself be caught if it's you doing the catching."

"I'm serious, Sergio. What if it's too much for you?"

His expression turned serious too as he thought about it. Then he said:

"I have no experience with this, Raquel, so I can't tell you anything with certainty. I can only tell you how I feel about things _now. _In the past months, no matter how much time we spent together, I've never been able to get enough of you. Not even close to enough. So the idea that you might be _too much_… well, it's frankly absurd. I can't picture it. I can't _begin _to picture it. As long as you're with me, I'll be able to get used to anything."

She knew he wasn't the man for empty flattery or exaggeration, yet she still found it hard to believe him for a moment. What middle-aged man loved so intensely, so completely? Then she remembered: _you are my first love_, and suddenly it made sense. She found herself envying him, just a little – how marvelous, to be able to love without the memories of past pain weighing you down – heart unblemished and unbroken, eyes unclouded by tears – to be able to love freely, without reservations, using words like _forever _with impunity, because life hadn't yet proven you wrong. And to experience that not, the way she'd experienced it, as a hormonal teenager falling for the wrong boy, but in the fullness of life, as a mature and fully-fledged individual certain of who you are, finding the love of your life.

She loved his love for her, built on the unshakeable certainty that nothing could tear them apart. She couldn't quite bring herself to believe that – she'd had that certainty before, and she knew that life could lead you into uncharted territory where certainties meant nothing anymore – but she loved that he believed it. She cherished that fact, she treasured it. And she made a silent promise that – if she could help it at all – she would never prove him wrong. Whatever uncertainties she had, they were about changing and unforeseen circumstances, but not about _him_ – never about him.

She'd come so far – he'd helpedher come so far. Even though there were still some remains of insecurity and fear deep inside her, she was loving again, loving more fully than she had thought possible. Six months ago, she'd been so sure that she would never be able to open herself to another person again… and then there he was. Somehow, gradually, he had unfractured her, putting the shattered pieces of her heart back together with each small kindness, with each gentle word, each careful touch. In a world that had seemed infinitely hostile and cruel, he had made her feel safe again, he had sheltered her from the storm, until she'd gathered her newly-restored heart in her hands and given it to him freely, knowing he would treat it with nothing but care. It was all new to him – of course he made mistakes – but he never meant to hurt her, and that was all that mattered.

He pushed himself up on an elbow and looked down at her.

"What are you thinking about?"

She smiled up at him. "That I love you."

His eyes were so warm and steady. "I love you too."

He bent his head and kissed her cheek, softly, slowly. She closed her eyes and smiled as he covered her entire face in unhurried kisses, everywhere except her mouth. Then, he just brushed his lips against hers, barely touching her, there one moment and gone the next, making her wish for real contact. He did it again, and again, until she tilted her face up with a pure, insistent longing to feel his mouth on hers, and in response, he cupped her face in his hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb, before lowering his head and pressing his lips against hers in the softest kiss, so sweet, so tender that she felt something inside her melt as she gratefully gave herself over to the feeling of it. She opened her lips and he deepened the kiss, slow and sensual, and they sank into it, minute after soft, golden minute.

_How she loved kissing him._ They'd been doing it for months now, and often she didn't particularly think about it anymore, but when he kissed her like this, taking his time and giving her his full and undivided attention, it still felt new and exciting, and she still lost herself in the wonder of it. In the protective circle of his arms, she allowed herself to surrender completely to the happiness that filled her, all of her cares and worries erased by his kisses, the outside world falling away until it seemed nothing but a half-remembered dream. Here, in the warm glowing bubble created by the sheet over their heads, _he_ was her entire world, a world that was gentler and kinder than anything she'd experienced before.

_How he loved kissing her. _The first time she'd kissed him, she'd sparked something inside of him, something he'd never felt before, and now every time she kissed him again, it burned brighter. She made him feel so awake, so brilliantly and vibrantly alive – her fingers, so soft on his skin, making him feel at home in the world for the first time in his life. Over the past few days, the heist had demanded so much of his attention, but it seemed small and unimportant now as he lost and then found himself again in her embrace. For most of his life, he'd lived in the world of his plans, but not tonight – tonight _she_ was his entire world, a world that was softer and warmer than he could ever have imagined.

Tonight, in the golden atmosphere they had created between the sheets, they both felt a fleeting touch of magic. Time stopped. Space contracted to the exact dimensions of their bed. And within those boundaries, their caresses wove a delicate enchantment, making them more significant, more deeply felt than usual. Lips pressed against skin lit glowing fires, tender hands awoke slumbering desires, while softly whispered words created an intimacy soft as down. With their limbs entwined, they realized that any sense of separation between them had been merely an illusion, because in the deepest, truest sense, they were one. As they slowly moved together, skin against skin, sensual pleasure merged seamlessly with emotional bliss to shape an experience that transcended the physical, pure and beautiful and true. At its zenith, it left them breathless and trembling, lifted out of themselves for one glorious, eternal moment, to come back down to a sweet awareness of profound and complete fulfillment.

Afterwards they were quiet for a while, lying close together side by side, their eyes closed, their foreheads touching. She slowly felt things shift into place again: time restarted, the world felt big again, and reality was once again a very real presence on the other side of that sheet. And yet… for moment after moment, she refused to acknowledge it as she basked for a little while longer in the lingering closeness between them, feeling warm and cherished and replete. Then they broke apart and looked at each other.

_Did you feel that too? _his eyes asked her.

_Yes, _she replied wordlessly. _I felt it too._

He smiled a warm, happy smile and shifted closer to her, and when she cuddled up against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Soon, he would get up, dress himself, then turn on the screens again and order Berlin to let the presses run at full force again. But not yet, not yet. For just a little longer, they would stay here and be everything to each other.


	32. Damage

_Author's note: I want to thank everyone who's left a review! I've been struggling with my mental health, and your reviews really helped me feel better & find the strength to continue writing! Thank you!_

**Day 5**

Sergio woke her up with soft kisses. She smiled and, without opening her eyes, reached out a sleepy arm and pulled him down onto the mattress with her. He resisted for only a moment, then relented and allowed her to cuddle up to him, and she sighed happily as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Good morning", he said softly.

"Mmm", she said in return, burying her face against his chest and breathing in the comfortingly familiar smell of him. She loved to have him close when she woke up. And when she fell asleep. And every minute in between.

"How did you sleep?" he asked her.

"Wonderfully", she said, then turned her face up to smile at him. "Last night was amazing."

"Yes", he smiled back. "It was."

She sighed regretfully. "I suppose we have to go back to normal now."

He nodded. "Unfortunately."

She reached up to kiss his cheek. "It's alright. We're almost halfway now, we'll be out of here soon."

She got up and started dressing while he put on his pajamas.

"Everything is running smoothly in the Mint", he said. "No issues at all. In a few hours, the truce with the police will be over and they'll return to work. I expect no problems, but wake me if anything happens."

"I will", she nodded. "How are we going to keep Elena busy today? Do you think it's time we let her discover the house in Toledo?"

He frowned. "I think we should do that tomorrow. At noon we'll release the five hostages I promised her in return for the truce. That should be enough to keep her off our backs for today."

She nodded and kissed him goodnight, then she went to sit in front of the screens. There was still a warm glow inside of her as she replayed the events of yesterday's date in her mind, the sweet things he'd said to her echoing in her ear, the memory of his touch still on her skin. She was smiling to herself as she clicked through the different camera images rather absent-mindedly, but then something caught her attention and she was suddenly snapped back to reality to frown at the screen. In the breakroom, Berlin was sleeping on the couch, with his head in the lap of one of the hostages. The young woman was sitting upright, staring in front of her with an expression that Raquel didn't like at all. As she was watching, Berlin woke up and started talking to the hostage in a way that seemed rather too intimate, and Raquel's frown deepened. Berlin and the woman got up and left the room, and when Nairobi entered it a few minutes later, Raquel decided to call her.

"Hi Nairobi, how are things there?"

"Hello Lisbon. Everything's fine, the presses are running at full capacity again." Nairobi looked up at the camera and grinned. "I trust you had a good time last night?"

Raquel couldn't help but grin too. "We did, yes, thank you."

"You two really have it bad, huh? Paying millions of euros just to get laid. Was it worth it?"

Raquel smiled broadly. "It was, yes."

Nairobi laughed. "Good for you. Meanwhile, the closest I've come to getting laid in _months _was Berlin staring at my ass."

Raquel turned more serious. "Talking about Berlin… Nairobi, is there something going on between him and one of the female hostages?"

"You mean Ariadna. Yes, I'm pretty sure he's fucking her."

Raquel stared at the screen in horror. "He's… he's sleeping with one of the hostages?"

"So is Denver."

"What?!"

"With that Monica girl."

"The woman who was shot?"

"Yeah. He saved her life and apparently they bonded."

"Nairobi, that… that's concerning."

"I know, but what can I do? They're all adults."

"But there's a terrible imbalance of power! Are you sure those relationships are consensual?"

Nairobi frowned. "Berlin and Denver are a little rough around the edges, but I don't think they're rapists."

"I'm not saying they are, but these women are scared for their lives. They may feel like they need to trade sexual favors in return for protection."

"Yes", Nairobi said. "I thought about that too, but I can't be sure. What do you propose?"

"Will you please talk to them and make sure they don't feel pressured into doing anything they don't want to do?"

"You think they'll just tell me they're trading sex for protection? I'm one of the bad guys too, why would they trust me?"

"You're right… they might not tell you outright."

"Hmm", Nairobi said. "Let me just try something, and I'll get back to you."

She hung up and left the room, and Raquel kept frowning at the screen. The thought that these women might feel pressured into having sex with their captors made her stomach turn, and she suddenly felt angry at herself for not realizing earlier that this might happen, for not making clear rules that nobody was to take advantage of the hostages. She'd thought that was a given: you don't sleep with people who are in such a vulnerable position that you can't be sure if their consent is freely given. But then she realized that men like Berlin and Denver had no experience with the desperation that comes from powerlessness, and that it probably hadn't even occurred to them that what they were doing was questionable at best. If a pretty woman smiled at them, why would they question that? She knew both men were honorable in their own way, but a delicate ethical matter like this was beyond the grasp of either of them.

When Nairobi returned to the phone an hour later, Raquel got a sinking feeling in her stomach at the sight of her frown.

"Not good?" she asked her as she picked up.

"Not good", Nairobi confirmed. "Monica seems alright, she got the silliest smile when I asked her about Denver, I think she really likes him. But when I asked Ariadna about Berlin… well. I felt a rather clear lack of enthusiasm there, so I asked her if she would leave if she could and… Lisbon, you should have seen her face. I think it's pretty clear that she's desperate to get away from Berlin."

Raquel felt nauseous. That poor woman must have been terrified to be driven to such measures, and now she'd been violated. _ I should have realized, I should have seen.._. She took a deep breath. It was too late to prevent any harm from coming to Ariadna, but she'd be _damned _if she let it continue.

"Nairobi, we have to get her away from him."

"I agree. Should I go get him so you can talk to him?"

Raquel's thoughts were racing, trying to gauge Berlin's reaction if she told him Ariadna was only sleeping with him for protection.

"No", she said finally. "I know men like Berlin. Either he won't believe me and keep doing it anyway, or he'll feel like she betrayed him and punish her for it."

"Then what do we do?"

"We have to get her out of there, it's the only way to make sure she's safe."

"How?"

"We're releasing five hostages at noon in return for the truce. Make sure she's one of them."

Nairobi shook her head. "Berlin will never let her go."

"Then we won't tell him", Raquel said firmly. "I'll instruct Berlin to select five different hostages. Five minutes before they're released, I'll call him and keep him talking, while you switch out one of the hostages for Ariadna."

Nairobi grimaced. "Holy fuck, Berlin won't like that."

"I'll explain everything to him, and I'll tell him you were acting on my orders."

Nairobi squared her shoulders. "Oh, don't worry, I can handle him. I'll follow your instructions, Lisbon. No woman is getting abused here on my watch."

"Thank you, Nairobi."

…

She felt uneasy the entire rest of the morning, wishing she could get Ariadna away from Berlin immediately. Sergio got out of bed half an hour before noon, and she lost no time telling him what was going on. He gave her a pained look, and she reminded herself of the fact that Berlin was his brother.

"Are… are you _sure _she's doing this against her will?"

"Yes", Raquel said. "Nairobi said she's desperate to leave."

Sergio looked horrified. "Then you made the right call. She'll have to leave."

At ten minutes to twelve, they both put on their headsets, Raquel called the Mint and Nairobi went to get Berlin. He came in five minutes later and picked up the phone with a frown.

"Can this wait? We're just about to release the hostages."

"That's what I want to talk to you about, Berlin", Raquel said, keeping an eye on the camera in the entrance hall, where she could see Nairobi arrive with a confused-looking Ariadna.

"Alright, then talk", Berlin said.

"Is it true that you've been sleeping with one of the hostages, Ariadna?"

Berlin's frown deepened. "That's none of your business."

"It is, Berlin", Sergio said. "Please answer the question."

On the camera, meanwhile, Nairobi asked Ariadna a question, pointing at the doors, and an expression of infinite relief appeared on her face as she nodded fervently. Nairobi pulled one of the five hostages out of line and put Ariadna in his place. When the woman realized she was really going to be released, she burst into tears.

"Yes", Berlin said on the phone. "We're in a relationship."

Sergio was looking distinctly uncomfortable, so Raquel took over again.

"I'm sorry, Berlin", she said, "but you're not. You were taking advantage of her."

Berlin drew himself up. "I most certainly did _not _take advantage of her. I would never force myself on a woman. _She _came to _me."_

"Yes", Raquel said. "Because she was _scared_, Berlin. Because she thought it would keep her safe."

He scoffed. "You don't know what you're talking about."

On the screens, the doors opened and the hostages walked out. Raquel breathed a sigh of relief, then steeled herself and said:

"We decided it would be better to send Ariadna out."

Berlin froze. "Out?"

"Yes", Raquel said. "She just left the Mint with four other hostages."

Berlin was silent for a moment, then he said in a dangerously quiet voice: "Who sent her out?"

"It doesn't matter", Raquel said. "She was sent out on my orders."

"Oh, are you the one calling the shots now?" Berlin asked. "What does my dear brother think about that?"

Raquel raised her eyebrows at Sergio, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, but then he pushed his glasses up his nose and said:

"This is an unfortunate business, Berlin, but Lisbon has my full support."

"I had no choice but to send her out", Raquel said.

On the screen, they saw Berlin take a breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was deadly calm.

"You interfered in a strictly personal matter."

"I had to", Raquel said firmly. "She had to be protected."

"From what?"

"From you."

"She's in love with me."

"No", Raquel said quietly. "She wasn't, Berlin, I'm sorry."

There was a pause, then Berlin said:

"Alright. If she's out, she's out and there's nothing I can do about that."

Something in his voice made Raquel distinctly uneasy.

"Now don't do anything stupid, Berlin."

He looked straight into the camera as he said: "Like what?"

"Like… like trying to get back at me somehow."

"How could I get back at you, Lisbon? You're out there and I'm stuck in here. Following your orders, risking my life so you don't have to make your hands dirty. Stopping the presses and guarding the hostages so the two of you can have a romantic evening together because, how did you put it, Sergio? "We really need it"? I'm not surprised. This heist is what brought you together – a common goal, and all feelings are heightened because of the high stakes. But how much of that will be left when this is all over?"

Raquel saw Sergio frown, but Berlin wasn't done yet.

"You know, Raquel, at heart he's a lone wolf. You have the heist tying you together now, but what will you talk about when it's over? You're very different people, and sooner or later, he _will _get bored of you."

"Berlin", Sergio said warningly.

"You may have captured his attention in the bedroom for now, but at some point that will fade, and then what? Do you _really _think you can keep him interested forever?"

"_Berlin_", Sergio said, "that's enough."

Raquel agreed. "Personal attacks are beneath you, Berlin. I regret that this happened, but it's done now. Go back to work."

"Why should I follow your orders anymore?"

"Because if you don't I'll have you removed from command."

"Ah, yes", he said softly. "That old threat again. You'll call Helsinki and Oslo and have me tied up and put in a locked room with Arturito."

"Exactly", Raquel said drily.

Next to her, Sergio did a bit of a double-take and looked at her with wide eyes, and she suddenly realized she hadn't actually told him what she'd threatened to do to Berlin. Oh well.

"Hmm", Berlin murmured, fingering the cord of the telephone. "And what would you do if I… disconnected the phone? No one would notice for quite some time."

Sergio sat up in alarm and opened his mouth to speak, but Raquel held up a hand to stop him.

"You could do that", she said calmly. "But then you _know _we'd have to retaliate."

"How?"

"We could plant your DNA in the house in Toledo and make sure the police discover it. That would make your life very difficult when you come out."

"But in the meantime", Berlin said smoothly, "I could finally run things the way I wanted. There are many other pretty women in here… Let's see if they would be open to a… transaction if I guaranteed their personal safety."

Sergio stiffened indignantly and opened his mouth again, but Raquel firmly shook her head at him.

"You wouldn't do that, Berlin", she said softly. "You're angry with me right now, and I understand that, but you're not a rapist. You're better than that."

He stayed quiet, and she pressed her advantage:

"We asked Ariadna if she wanted to leave. She said yes. She cried. I know you wouldn't want to keep a woman by your side who didn't really want to be there."

There was a pause, then Berlin said:

"She left voluntarily?"

"She did."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"We can send you the footage of her leaving."

"I would have given her a good life with me."

"She didn't want that, Berlin."

"She said she did."

"She lied."

There was a long pause, and Raquel held her breath to see how he would react. After a while, he drew himself up. "She deceived me."

"She was scared, Berlin. She lied to protect herself. You don't want a woman under those circumstances."

"No", he said thoughtfully. "No, I don't."

Raquel felt a surge of satisfaction. That was step one.

"Good", she said.

Berlin frowned. "You still interfered in a personal matter and undermined my authority with my crew."

"I know", Raquel said. "But you're going to have to let this go."

"Why would I?"

She thought about it for a moment. What did Berlin care about? He didn't care about money, or the connections he had to other people. The only thing that mattered to him was power and honor.

"Because otherwise I'll remove you from command."

"You already said that, and I told you I could just disconnect the phone."

"If you do that, we can't communicate with you either, in case the police make a move."

"What if I don't care?"

"I think you do care. You want the operation to succeed as much as we do. And if you disconnect us, consider this: in 24 hours, that tunnel will be open and I can come through to give orders in person."

"I could do a lot of things in 24 hours."

"Yes", she said. "You could. But would it be worth it to spend the rest of the operation tied up and blindfolded in a locked room?"

"What about my authority?"

"You will only really lose that if you disobey orders now and we have to remove you. Right now, nothing is lost. Only Nairobi knows what happened. As far as the others know, it was your decision to send Ariadna out. You haven't lost face."

He considered this silently, and she continued softly:

"Let's move on and focus on the plan, and you can keep your position. We're _so _close to pulling this off – and I know you want the heist to succeed. You made a commitment to this operation and to your brother, Berlin, and you want to keep that commitment because you're a man of honor. I _know _you are."

He stayed quiet for another few seconds, then squared his shoulders. "I am."

"Then we are in agreement", Raquel said. "Let's get back to work."

"I won't let anything like this pass again, Lisbon."

"Then let's hope we don't encounter any more issues in the future."

Berlin nodded and hung up the phone.

Raquel heaved a big sigh of relief, then turned to see Sergio look at her with admiration.

"You handled that really well."

"I'm a negotiator", she shrugged. "This kind of thing is my job. _Was _my job."

"Do you think he'll give us any more trouble?"

"No. The crucial thing was to show him he couldn't win in the end. He's vindictive, but he's not stupid. And by appealing to his sense of honor, I gave him a way out without losing face."

He gave her a look. "You do realize what he said before was nonsense, right? About… about me getting bored of you."

She felt just the slightest twinge of unease, but it disappeared as she looked into his eyes.

"Yes", she said. "Of course I know it was nonsense. He was just trying to get under my skin."

At that moment, his phone pinged, and she watched his eyes light up as he read the message.

"Elena?" she asked carefully.

"Yes. We're meeting for drinks tonight." He looked up at her enthusiastically. "I hope I can get her to talk about the case, I need to know if she has any suspicions of how we're going to escape. I'm sure she won't just tell me… it will be interesting to try and get it out of her. I need to think about a strategy."

As usual when he needed to think, he got up to use his punching bag, and as she watched him go, she felt the twinge of unease return. _Do you really think you can keep him interested forever?_

…

Sergio stepped out of the hangar with a feeling of nervous excitement. He'd promised Raquel this would be the last time he'd seek out Elena, so this was his only shot at getting information out of her, and he needed it to go well. They'd agreed to meet directly at Hanoi this time. He got there ten minutes ahead of time, and sat down to wait for her. She arrived at exactly nine o'clock, looked around, and gave him her half-smile as she spotted him.

"Hello Salva", she said as she sat down across from him.

"Hi Elena", he smiled.

"I thought it would be safer to meet here, so you wouldn't get picked up by the uniforms again."

He grinned. "Well, that was an experience. Have you caught anyone yet?"

"No", she said. "We know the leader of the operation is on the outside somewhere, and he probably isn't very far, but if he's smart, he won't leave his hiding place. Still, my people are on the look-out. You never know – he might go out for food or coffee."

Sergio nodded earnestly. "I hope you catch him."

She sighed. "That would be great, because it's starting to look like he has no intention of ending this soon."

"Why don't you just… I don't know, bust in?"

"Because the hostages might get hurt in the process."

"Are you under a lot of pressure from your superiors?"

She gave him a look of mild surprise. "Yes, actually. I'm trying to end this peacefully, but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who really cares about nobody getting hurt."

"That must be tough", he said sympathetically. "It can't be easy to be a woman in a man's world like that."

She looked even more surprised, but pleasantly so.

"No", she agreed. "It isn't easy."

She considered him for a moment, then said: "But we don't have to talk about my job. How is your cider coming along?"

"Oh, fine", he said. "Believe me, I'd love to hear more about your job. It's a lot more interesting than mine – my vats of cider don't give me nearly as much trouble as those robbers are giving you."

She hesitated. "Still, I really shouldn't talk about an ongoing case."

He gave her an embarrassed grin. "You know, I'm… I'm actually a big fan of detective novels. When I was a kid, I thought about joining the police like you."

"Really?" she said, amused. "What made you change your mind?"

"I inherited my father's business. It was important to me to honor his memory."

She nodded. "I respect that."

"But I never lost my fascination for your line of work, so…" He gave her an inviting smile. "If you'd like to discuss your work, I'd love to hear all about it."

She hesitated, then said: "I can't tell you anything classified, but alright. What do you want to know?"

He eagerly leaned in. "How many people are on your team?"

"About twenty, working in different shifts around the clock."

"What kinds of things do they do?"

"Oh, there's a lot of different jobs…"

She kept talking and he kept asking her innocent questions, feeling her increasingly let her guard down, until he got to what he really wanted to know.

"You know what I wonder?" he said carefully. "How do these robbers think they're going to get out of there?"

"Well", she said slowly, "they're having their hostages dig a tunnel to the sewers. They want us to think they're going to escape that way."

"But you don't think they will?"

"No. They've released hostages to us, who told us about the tunnel. The robbers _know _those hostages will have told us about the tunnel, so they won't actually use it."

"So how _will _they escape?"

He was satisfied to see a frustrated frown appear on her face.

"That's what I can't figure out. They asked for a truck and a boat, and I was sure that was just another distraction, but now I'm not sure. You see, the guy behind all of this is so goddamn clever, I wouldn't put it past him to set up something to look like a distraction, only to use it after all."

He had to try very hard not to grin broadly.

"So there's one guy who's the mastermind?"

"Yes. He calls himself 'the Professor'."

"And he's very clever?"

"Sadly, yes. We negotiate on the phone, and I've never talked to anyone quite like him."

"What's he like?"

She rolled her eyes. "Unbearably smug, and constantly asking inappropriate questions."

"Like what?"

"The first time we talked, he asked me what I was wearing."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really? Why?"

"It's just a strategy to unbalance me."

"And _does _it unbalance you?"

"Please", she snorted. "I'm a woman in the police force, if I let a little sexism faze me, I would have quit a long time ago."

He suddenly felt a little bad for her. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this 'Professor' character."

She shrugged. "Some random guy asking about my orgasms isn't the worst thing that's happened to me on the job."

Now he felt even worse. Her phone pinged.

"I'm sorry Salva", she said. "I have to read this in case it's urgent."

"Of course."

He observed her silently as she read her message, and he suddenly realized that, in seeing her only as an opponent in this game they were playing, he'd lost sight of the fact that she was, in fact, a real person.

"I'm sorry", he said, and he meant it.

She looked up. "What for?"

"The sexism you have to deal with."

She put her phone away and gave him her half-smile. "It's okay, it's not your fault."

He shifted a little guiltily. "Still."

"I just hope this will all be over soon, my team is getting tired."

"How much longer do you think they'll stay in there?"

"I don't know", she admitted. "I thought this would only take a few days, but of course, the longer they stay in there, the more money they can print."

"You must be getting frustrated."

"I am", she said. "Especially since they're doing everything they can to make me lose time."

He made a mental note of the fact that she'd figured that out. Finally he couldn't reasonably ask her more questions about the heist, so he allowed her to steer the conversation to other matters. He hoped he could get a bit of an insight into her personal life, but to his considerable frustration, she seemed unwilling to talk about herself, instead sticking to topics like politics and literature. Yet, despite his frustration, he had to admit that he was enjoying himself – though she seemed to live mostly for her job, she was informed and well-read, and she was an engaging person to talk to. Still, after an hour or so, he just wanted to get back to Raquel, and she seemed ready to call it a night as well.

"So", she said. "This was nice."

"Yes", he smiled. "It was."

"It's rare to find a man I can really talk to."

"From what you've told me about your colleagues, I'm not surprised."

"No", she said thoughtfully. "I meant in general. You know, there are not a lot of people I connect with."

"Yes", he said. "I get that."

She gave him a smile, the first full, genuine smile he'd seen on her face. It made her look much softer, and he was suddenly struck by the thought that maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to get to know her after all.

She tilted her head. "So… do you want to get out of here?"

"Alright", he said.

"Your place or mine?"

He blinked at her. "Sorry?"

"I think your place is closer, but we can go to mine if you prefer."

His eyes went wide as comprehension dawned on him. "Oh!"

She suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, that was probably too straightforward of me. I'm not very good at flirting, I like things to be clear."

_Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no._

"You need to know that I'm _very _selective in the men I date, so when I find one I like, I don't see much sense in being coy."

He felt a horrible, squirming wave of embarrassment engulf him. What should he say – what _could _he say? Oh, this was bad, this was so bad. She was looking at him – he had to say _something_!

"Well… I… I…", he floundered, and she laughed.

"You do look _very _surprised, Salva. I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear before that I like you. Though me agreeing to go on a date with you was kind of a sign, don't you think?"

He had never wanted out of a situation more desperately. He felt like his face was on fire.

"I mean… uhm…"

"We can go to your place if that would make you feel more comfortable. I don't usually go home with men I barely know, but I think I can trust you."

A twinge of guilt appeared to spice up his embarrassment – this was getting ridiculous – he had to get out of here somehow. He steeled himself, took a deep breath and blurted out:

"I'm sorry. I can't."

She frowned. "You can't what?"

"Take you to… I mean… accept your… uh… I can't."

"Why not?"

He desperately cast around for an excuse. "I… I have to get up early tomorrow."

She raised her eyebrows. "To brew cider?"

"I have… an appointment. At… at the dentist."

There was confusion in every line of her face. He suddenly realized for the first time that she was quite attractive, and she probably never had a man turn down an offer to go home with her.

"At the dentist…", she repeated slowly and with apparent disbelief.

He saw absolutely no way to get out of the situation gracefully, so he just put some money on the table and hastily got up.

"I have to go… I'm sorry… I… well… I have to go."

He didn't dare look at her again as he turned around and walked out of the café, cursing himself savagely for misjudging the situation so badly. He realized now that, just because _he _hadn't seen this as a date, it didn't mean that _she _saw it the same way, and he suddenly understood that Raquel had been right all along – _of course_ she thought he'd asked her out, and that implied certain things... Still, her proposal had surprised him in more than one way – he'd been under the impression that women didn't usually sleep with men on the first date… though, come to think of it, it made sense for Elena. She clearly didn't like to waste time and she seemed like the kind of person to go after what she wanted. And apparently she'd wanted _him. _Oh god, what must she be thinking now? He couldn't have handled the situation more poorly – she must be completely mystified as to what just happened. He could still feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment as he quickly walked along the street, and he resolved _not _to tell Raquel about this. He'd get the biggest 'I told you so' in history.

…

Raquel was fidgeting behind the screens, waiting for Sergio to come home. She wasn't _really _worried this time, but it would still be a relief when he got back and this whole Elena business would be over and done with – it had caused more than enough friction between them. When he finally walked in, however, she immediately noticed that something was off.

"How was it?" she asked, noting how he avoided her eyes as he walked up to her.

"Uhm… fine", he replied. "It was… a productive meeting."

"Did you get any useful information out of her?"

"Uhm, yes, a few things."

She frowned. "Sergio, what's wrong?"

"Nothing", he said, finally looking up at her and giving her an uncomfortable smile.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What happened?"

"Nothing", he repeated.

"Out with it."

"There's nothing to tell!"

"Oh please, your face couldn't possibly get any redder. You look as though she tried to kiss you." She gave him a closer look. "_Did _she try to kiss you?"

He squirmed uncomfortably. "Not… not exactly."

"Then _what_, Sergio?"

He heaved a big sigh. "Well… she did seem to think it was a date."

She nodded. "Of course. And?"

He looked at the ground, then mumbled: "She asked me if I wanted to go home with her."

She gave him a dry look, then turned back to the screens.

"Uh-_huh_."

He looked beyond embarrassed. "I know you told me so."

"I did, yes."

"You were right."

"I sure was."

He shook his head. "I shouldn't have done this."

"No", she said succinctly. "You shouldn't. How did you leave things?"

"I… I made an excuse and left."

She frowned at him. "What kind of excuse?"

"I said I had to get up early."

She rolled her eyes at him. "That's a _terrible _excuse. How was the rest of the evening?"

"Fine."

"Did she have a good time?"

"I think so."

"Then she must be so confused right now. Has she texted you anything?"

He took out his wallet to get at his phone, then looked at it.

"No."

"Well, I suppose that's for the best." She gave him a cool look. "I hope you're properly ashamed of yourself."

He grimaced. "Believe me, I am."

"Good", she nodded. "Then we won't talk about it again."

"Thank you", he said, clearly relieved.

"I want to hear what she told you in a minute, but could you get me a coffee first? Decaf."

"Of course", he nodded, putting on his jacket again and walking to the door.

The moment the door closed behind him, she noticed that he'd left his wallet on the desk. She was about to hurry after him, but then movement on the screen caught her attention: Denver was walking into the breakroom with Monica, and she observed them closely to see if there were any signs that Monica was in the same situation as Ariadna had been. The couple was laughing, however, and Monica's smile seemed genuine. Behind her, Raquel heard the door open again and turned to tell Sergio his wallet was on the desk – only it wasn't Sergio coming through the door.

She recognized the face immediately, and instinctively reached for a gun she wasn't wearing.

"Don't even think about it", said Inspector González, cocking her gun and pointing it straight at her chest.


	33. Elena

"Don't even think about it", said Inspector González, cocking her gun and pointing it straight at Raquel's chest.

Raquel froze, her hands raised, her breath held. Then Elena frowned as recognition dawned in her eyes, but she didn't lower her gun.

"Raquel?" she said uncertainly. "Raquel Murillo? What the _fuck _are you doing here?"

Raquel's thoughts were racing. _Time_, she thought. _She doesn't know that Sergio forgot his wallet, I just need to buy time._

"Elena", she said. "Let me explain…"

But Elena was taking in the screens, and Raquel saw her reach the inevitable conclusion.

"This… this is the center of operations… _his_… the Professor…" Her eyes snapped back to Raquel, then they flicked towards the door, where Sergio had left only a minute ago. "Wait… Salva… _he's _the Professor?"

_Time_. Sergio would be back any minute now, the only thing she had to do was keep Elena talking so she wouldn't call for backup – because if she did, they were lost. What did Elena want, what would keep her distracted? Only one thing, Raquel realized. _Answers_.

"Yes", Raquel said. "He's the Professor."

She could see Elena's quick mind connect dot after dot, her frown deepening.

"But… he was right in front of me when the Professor called the tent and…" Suddenly her face opened up and she breathed a soft 'oh!'. "That was you."

There was no point in denying things to try and protect herself – if she refused to speak, the conversation would be over and Elena would call the tent.

"Yes", Raquel admitted. "That was me."

"Voice masking software?"

"Yes."

Elena shook her head in dismay. "Of course. I can't _believe _I didn't even think of the possibility that there might be two people behind this! But it doesn't make sense! I _know _men like the Professor, they operate alone."

_Sergio_, Raquel thought desperately. _Where are you? _

Elena narrowed her eyes at her. "So what are _you _doing here? Last I heard, you disappeared on your way to prison six months ago. I talked to one of the officers who was in that van with you and he said that a bunch of armed men took you and it looked like you didn't want to go." She frowned. "Are you here against your will?"

Raquel hesitated for just one moment, then decided that she couldn't bring herself to betray Sergio like that. Elena didn't give her a chance to speak, however, shaking her head and continuing:

"No, you're not restrained and you're alone. You're here voluntarily."

"Yes", she nodded. "I am."

"But _why_, Raquel? I know we never worked together directly, but I respected you. I wouldn't have expected you to turn for money."

_Time_, Raquel thought again. _I need time, and she needs answers._

"It wasn't for money."

"Why, then?"

Raquel pretended to hesitate, drawing out the seconds, every muscle tense. "The Professor recruited me."

"How?"

"He promised me something I wanted."

"Which was…"

Raquel took a deep breath, pretending to struggle with the admission. "My daughter. I lost my daughter, Elena, and he promised me I could get her back."

There was a flash of sympathy in Elena's eyes. "You were desperate and he took advantage of that. A judge would understand that, Raquel. Surrender quietly now and cooperate with us, and maybe I can get you a light sentence."

Raquel pretended to think about it, drawing out the silence for as long as she could. _Sergio, come on!_

Finally Elena said: "Well?"

Raquel shook her head. "The judge will never go for it, I have a prior conviction for corruption. I got nine years for something I didn't do, Elena. How many years will I get for something I _did _do?"

Elena hesitated for a moment, then said: "I could help you."

Raquel frowned in surprise. "Why would you? We barely know each other."

Elena took a breath and looked like she was about to say something, but then she glanced over her shoulder at the door and shook her head.

"Let's talk about this at the station. Get up, let's get out of here before he gets back and then I can call for backup to come and pick him up."

Raquel's heart was beating fast, but she didn't move, and Elena frowned.

"Raquel", she said. "Don't be stupid. If you were pressured into cooperating with him, I can help you, but only if you come quietly."

Raquel still didn't move, and Elena made a sound of frustration.

"Fine! Then I'll just call for backup now and they can take both of you in."

To Raquel's alarm, she reached towards her pocket for her phone. _I have to stop her!_ She did the only thing she could think of, abruptly standing up out of her chair, making Elena grip her gun with both hands again.

"Are you coming with me?"

"No", Raquel said.

"Then sit down."

She took a step closer. "Elena…"

"Stay back."

She raised her hands, but took another step forward, her heart beating painfully fast.

"Elena, listen to me…"

Elena took a step back, but her aim didn't waver.

"I'll listen to you when we get to the station."

Another step. If she could get close enough, she could try disarming her… Elena wasn't about to let that happen, however.

"Don't be an idiot. If you get any closer, you _know_ I'll have to incapacitate you."

Raquel stopped, hesitating. Elena shook her head.

"Don't make me shoot you, Raquel. _Sit down._"

Slowly, very slowly, she returned to her chair and sat down, desperately casting around for another way to distract Elena, but she knew she was out of options. Keeping her eyes and gun firmly on Raquel, Elena reached into her pocket and took out her phone. Then the door opened and Sergio walked in.

In a flash, Elena was behind Raquel's chair and pressed her gun to her head as she faced Sergio.

"Don't move!" she shouted, and he froze, his eyes wide as he took in the scene.

For a moment, he seemed paralyzed with shock, but then Raquel saw his thoughts begin to race as he slowly started to walk towards them. _Stay calm, Sergio, please don't do anything stupid._

"Stay back", Elena warned him, and he stopped and slowly raised his hands.

"Elena", he said quietly.

"That's 'Inspector González' to you", she snapped. "_Professor."_

He grimaced. "I know what you're thinking, but hear me out… please."

"Hands behind your head!"

"Let me explain to you why I'm doing this…"

"I'm not listening to a single word you have to say", Elena said angrily. "You're a pathological liar."

"Elena", he said, a little desperately. "We're not the bad guys. If you just let me explain…"

"Save it", she snapped. "You can explain yourself in front of a judge. I'm calling backup."

Raquel saw a look of determination appear on his face as he straightened up.

"Then you leave me no choice."

The next moment, he reached inside his jacket.

"Don't!" both women yelled at the same time, and Elena instinctively lifted her gun.

The instant Raquel felt the barrel of the gun leave her head, she twisted around in her chair and slapped the gun out of Elena's hand. It fell to the ground and they both dove to catch it, but Raquel was faster, snatching it up and turning around in one fluid movement to point it at Elena.

Elena froze. Raquel kept the gun pointed firmly at her chest, breathing hard, blood pounding in her ears.

"Sit down", she said, nodding her head at the chair.

"Don't do this, Raquel."

"Elena", Raquel said firmly. "Sit down."

"You're making things worse for yourself. You can still walk away from this."

"No", Raquel said. "I can't."

"Help me arrest him and I _know _I can get your sentence reduced."

"I can't arrest him", Raquel said quietly.

Elena's eyes flicked between her and Sergio, and suddenly comprehension dawned on her.

"Oh. I see."

"Yes."

"You really _are _here voluntarily."

"Yes, I am."

Elena shot Sergio a look of disgust, then turned back to Raquel.

"I'm giving you one last chance to cooperate. Please think about it, Raquel. Are you really going to throw away your life for him?"

"I don't think I have to", Raquel said, then she took a deep breath and lifted her chin. "But I would."

Elena shook her head. "You're making a mistake."

"Maybe, but I'm the one holding the gun here. I won't ask you again, Elena. Sit down."

Finally, slowly, Elena sat down in the chair, and Raquel glanced over her shoulder at Sergio, who seemed frozen in place.

"Don't just stand there", she snapped. "Tie her hands."

He hastened to get some rope, then kneeled behind Elena's chair to tie her wrists together and to the chair. The moment he got up again, Raquel turned to him in fury.

"Are you _mad, _Sergio?!" she yelled. "Reaching into your jacket like that, she could have _shot _you!"

"I had to do _something_!" he said defensively.

"And that was the best you could come up with?!"

"I had to give you a chance to disarm her. And besides…" he glanced at Elena, "I knew she wouldn't shoot me."

"Oh _fuck you_", Elena snapped at him. "Give me back my gun and watch me."

"How did you get here, Elena?" he asked.

She glared at him. "I followed you from Hanoi."

Raquel felt a fierce mix of anger and vindication as she watched Sergio grimace and throw her a guilty look.

"What made you follow him?"

"He was behaving suspicious as hell", Elena said, then turned towards Sergio. "You ask me out, then you _don't _want to sleep with me? It just didn't add up. Then I remembered you asking me all of those questions about the operation. I thought…" She stopped, shaking her head, then continued bitterly: "_God, _I was so stupid! I thought you were a journalist. I didn't think… I never thought you were…" She looked around at the screens showing the inside of the Mint. "I never thought you were _this_!"

Raquel nodded. "That's why you came without backup."

"I just wanted to see where he was going, and then he walked into this shady place with a 'for rent' sign. I waited for a bit, wondering what I should do, and then he walked out again, so I decided to check things out."

She turned back to Sergio, disbelief and frustration in every line of her face.

"_You came up to me_. That first day in Hanoi, you bumped into me onpurpose and you _introduced _yourself. When you _knew _who I was. Why, _why _would you do that?! Are you some kind of psychopath?" She looked back at Raquel. "_Is _he a psychopath?"

"No", Raquel said, throwing Sergio a dark look. "Just stupid."

"You can say that again", Elena said in disgust. "I can't _believe_ I thought you were clever."

Sergio shifted uncomfortably, then looked at Raquel, barely suppressed panic behind his eyes.

"Raquel, what the hell do we do now?"

"You're the mastermind", Raquel snapped at him. "You tell me."

God, she was mad at him – this was all his fault – she'd warned him, she'd warned him a _thousand _times. She watched impassively as he started pacing. He was great at planning things, but he was terrible at improvising, and even worse under pressure.

"God, what a mess", he groaned, and she took pity on him.

"Well, we can't let her go", she said. "That's out of the question. But if she doesn't show up for work tomorrow, people will start looking for her."

He nodded. "Can they trace her movements from the tent to Hanoi to here?"

"Yes", she said. "It would take a while, but they could get the security camera footage from stores along the way."

"Fuck", he said softly. "So what do we do?"

"We make sure they don't suspect something's wrong."

He considered this. "She could call in sick?"

Raquel shook her head. "It would be extremely suspicious if she called in sick now, in the middle of this huge investigation. Especially if she showed no symptoms before."

"An accident, then?"

"Then people might want to visit her in the hospital, or at least call to check up on her. I know Angel would."

He sighed. "Then what?"

Raquel thought about it, then said: "Compassionate leave."

He frowned. "You mean the leave you get when a close family member dies?"

"Yes", she said. "Nobody will expect her to show up at work under those circumstances, and they would leave her alone."

She turned to Elena. "Are both your parents still alive?"

Elena said nothing, but Raquel shook her head.

"We can easily find that out, Elena, there's no sense in not telling us."

"Fine", Elena said. "Yes, they are."

"Good", Raquel said. "Then you're going to call Angel and tell him your father died. Very unexpectedly, a car accident. You're leaving right now to be with your mother."

Elena raised her chin and gave Raquel a disdainful look. "Seriously Raquel, why would I cooperate with you?"

Raquel held up the gun she was still holding, but Elena remained unimpressed.

"You wouldn't shoot me. You're not a murderer."

Raquel nodded, trying to project a confidence she didn't feel. "True. But I could easily shoot you in a non-vital body part."

"By then I could already have alerted Angel by calling for help, and then, as you've already realized, he'll be able to trace me here."

"We have a backup location", Raquel lied smoothly. "We can move our operation there without problems, and without leaving a trace."

"The police would still know I was missing, and do everything they could to find me."

Raquel nodded thoughtfully. "And maybe they'd find you… but only maybe. Think about it, Elena. Is that worth it to you to get a bullet in the leg? It will hurt like hell."

Elena swallowed hard, and her eyes flicked from Raquel's face to the gun, but she was stubborn. "It would be worth it if it meant they would find you."

"But they probably won't", Raquel said softly. "Don't do this to yourself for nothing. A shattered kneecap will take forever to heal. You might never fully recover."

She saw Elena's quick mind work through all the possible scenarios, weighing her chances. Then she pressed her lips together and, to Raquel's immense relief, nodded reluctantly.

"You'll talk to Angel?"

"Yes", Elena said, and Raquel saw that it was costing her. "I will."

"Good."

She pulled Elena's phone out of her pocket, but before she dialed, she pressed her gun against Elena's knee and looked her straight in the eye. Her heart was beating like mad and she had to keep her hands from shaking, but she knew _everything _depended on how convincing she was right now. She took a deep, steadying breath, and said:

"Don't try to be clever. No hesitations, no code words, nothing that might make him suspicious. Please. I don't _want _to shoot you, Elena. In fact, I would hate it, but my entire life depends on this. So does my daughter's. And that of the man I love. So please don't make me do this, because…" her voice trembled just a bit, but she recovered herself, "because I won't hesitate. Are we clear?"

Elena looked back at her steadily. "Perfectly."

Beside her, Raquel saw Sergio shift uncomfortably, and she knew he probably found this whole business distasteful, but it had to be done, and _he _sure wasn't going to do it. So she dialed Angel's number and held the phone up to Elena's ear, hoping, _praying _that she wouldn't do anything stupid, because she realized fully well that she couldn't really carry out her threat. She knew she'd be able to shoot Elena if it were a matter of life and death, but to pull a trigger on a woman who was tied up and helpless, just to punish her? She couldn't bring herself to do that. She just hoped that she'd convinced Elena that she could.

She heard Angel pick up.

"Hello, Elena?"

Raquel held her breath as Elena looked into her eyes for a long moment. Then Elena said:

"Hi, Angel."

"Is everything alright?"

"Not really. I… I just got a phone call from my mother. My… father's been in an accident. He didn't make it."

There was a short pause, then Angel said: "I'm so sorry Elena."

"I know this is a terrible time to leave you at work…"

"No", Angel said quickly, as Raquel had known he would. "No, of course you can't come into work now."

"I just need to be there for my mother", Elena said, sounding convincingly apologetic and upset at the same time.

"Of course, I understand. Don't worry, we'll take care of things here."

"Thank you, Angel."

"My condolences, Elena. Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

Raquel pulled back the phone and pressed the red button with a feeling of immense relief, and she saw the same feeling on Sergio's face as they shared a look.

"Thank you, Elena", Sergio said.

Elena said nothing.

"Now for the next step", Raquel said. "We'll be here for another six days, so…"

Elena looked up sharply in dismay. "_Six days_?"

"Yes", Raquel said apologetically. "If everything goes well."

"Holy _fuck_, how much money could you possibly need?"

"2.4 billion euros", Sergio said, with just a hint of pride.

She stared at him. "_Why?"_

He shrugged. "Because we can."

Elena turned back to Raquel. "Are you _sure _he's not a psychopath? There's _something _wrong with him, right?"

Raquel shot him another dark look and muttered: "Oh, there's plenty wrong with him."

"Shall we get back to the matter at hand?" Sergio grimaced. "We can discuss my failings at length once we get this under control."

"Fine", Raquel said. "Let's make sure nobody else notices she's gone."

"You live alone, right?" Sergio asked Elena.

She nodded.

"Is there someone you visit regularly? Grandparents, or a friend you have a weekly meeting with?"

"No."

"Do your neighbors know you well?"

She snorted. "No."

"Basically", Sergio said, "is there anyone who would notice if you were gone for six days?"

There was a pause, then Elena said: "No."

Raquel felt a sudden stab of pity, but Elena shot her a challenging look.

"Don't you dare."

"Dare what?"

"Feel sorry for me. I chose my life, this is how I like it. Not everybody wants to be encumbered by a lot of close personal relationships."

Raquel raised her eyebrows at Sergio, who gave her a tentative smile. She suddenly felt her anger at him, not disappear exactly, but diminish considerably. At least they had each other.

Then she steeled herself and said: "Alright. Now we know we can keep her here, but what are we going to do with her?"

"What do you mean?" Sergio frowned.

"We can't just let her see and overhear everything we do." She felt a little sick at the thought, but she knew it was the smart thing to do. "I propose we blindfold her and get some earplugs."

He gave her a shocked look. "Raquel, that's torture."

Elena nodded. "Sensory deprivation." She hesitated. "I'm not going to beg, but please don't do that to me."

"I don't _like _it!" Raquel said, frustrated. "But what if she manages to free herself, Sergio?"

"Then we're screwed anyway, aren't we? Whether she's seen and heard us operate or not."

Raquel hesitated, trying to think through the possible consequences. Maybe he was right, maybe it couldn't get any worse anyway… Sergio put a hand on her arm and said softly:

"Raquel… If you did that to me, I'd go mad."

"Yes", Elena said dispassionately. "I'd honestly rather you shoot me in the leg."

Raquel hesitated one more moment, then gave in, glad that she didn't really have to do it.

"Fine. How will we sleep?"

"We'll just take turns as usual and… well, tie her to the bed when it's her turn to sleep."

Elena lifted her eyebrows but said nothing.

"What about eating?" Raquel asked. "Do we untie her to eat?"

Elena gave her a look of dismay. "Please don't feed me like a baby bird."

"We can untie her to eat", Sergio said reasonably. "I'll sit next to her with a gun the entire time."

"Good", Raquel grumbled. "You got her here, you can babysit her."

"I will", he said guiltily. "I'll take care of everything."

She nodded, and he stepped closer to her.

"Can we talk? In private?"

"No", she said, disgruntled. "We absolutely _can't _talk in private anymore, Sergio. Not for the next six days."

"I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience", Elena said drily. "Feel free to let me go and I'll gladly give you some privacy."

Raquel saw Sergio suppress a smile as he turned to Elena.

"That's very considerate of you, Inspector."

"I'm a considerate person, Professor. Unlike some people."

"Still, I hope you won't find our hospitality lacking over the next week or so."

"Can I leave a negative review somewhere if I do? The Association for Criminal Accommodations?"

Sergio grinned, and Raquel rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you two, seriously."

His expression immediately turned more sober again, and he put a hand on her arm and steered her to a corner of the hangar, as far away from Elena as they were going to get for the next few days.

"Alright, what do you want to talk about?" she said.

"I want to apologize."

She crossed her arms and looked up at him. "I'm all ears."

He suddenly looked uncomfortable and unsure of what to say. "Uhm… I'm sorry."

"Try again."

"I'm… really sorry?"

"Not buying it."

"Raquel, I don't know what to say."

"I don't know what to say either, Sergio. I'd tell you you're sleeping on the couch tonight, except we don't have one."

"Look…"

"I'd tell you 'no sex for a week', except thanks to you that's not an option anymore anyway."

"Well…"

"I'd tell you you'd better buy me flowers to make up for this, except I don't think there are enough flowers in the _world _to…"

"Alright!" he said, raising his hands. "Alright, point made. I screwed up. I screwed up really badly."

"Yes", she said drily. "You did."

"I should have listened to you."

"You should."

"You told me this was a bad idea."

"I did."

He gave her a defeated look. "Do you… I don't know, want to punch me or something?"

She considered this. "A little, yeah."

He nodded and started to take off his glasses, but she quickly stopped his hand with a suppressed smile.

"Sergio, I'm not really going to punch you."

"Are you sure? I deserve it."

"Maybe you do, but violence doesn't solve anything."

"It might make you feel better."

She looked at him. "Hurting you wouldn't make me feel better."

He gave her a soft look, then said quietly: "I'm sorry for not taking your advice seriously. I should have realized you were right. I know… I _know _you're smarter than me in so many ways."

That struck her unexpectedly deeply. She looked up at him. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course I do. There are so many things you're better at than me. You can think under pressure, you have way better people skills and you have more common sense." He gestured at Elena. "I mean, this is proof of all of that."

She felt herself relent slightly. "Will you listen to me in the future?"

"I will", he said earnestly. "I'll never disregard your opinion again. We… we almost lost everything tonight because of me, because of… of my arrogance. I need you to keep me grounded. You balance me out. You make me a better man… if I let you."

She considered him. "I know you're smarter than other people, Sergio, but that doesn't mean nothing can hurt you."

"I know", he said quietly. "I think I didn't really believe that before, but I know it now."

She sighed, the last of her anger at him fading away, to be replaced by a profound sense of tiredness as she glanced at Elena. "So how do we deal with this?"

He gazed at her steadily.

"The way we deal with everything", he said. "Together."

…

**Day 6**

As he'd promised, Sergio took care of every practical concern that arose surrounding the captivity of Elena, keeping a gun on her when she was untied to go to the bathroom or to eat, tying her to the frame of the bed when it was time for her to sleep. Except for keeping her tied up, he insisted on treating her like a guest, making sure she was comfortable, offering her a sedative to help her sleep, and once she woke up again, making sure she wasn't bored, leaving Raquel to listen in on how Angel was dealing with taking over Elena's position. At first, Elena maintained a stubborn silence, refusing to engage with him, but after a while, she seemed to settle into a stoic acceptance of her situation, and when Sergio proposed a game of chess, she seemed unable to resist. Sergio moved her pieces at her direction, and gradually he got her to talk to him.

Raquel kept her eyes on the screens, but she listened to their conversation with increasing interest. Elena's curiosity quickly overcame her resentment of Sergio, and once they started talking, she kept asking questions about the heist, seeming interested every detail. Sergio was eager to explain everything to her, clearly trying his best to bring her over to his point of view – that they weren't the bad guys, that they were defying the system, that they were liberators, Robin Hoods. To Raquel's considerable amusement, however, Elena was having none of it.

"B1 to C3. Your argument is full of holes, Professor. Who are you fighting, exactly?"

"We stand against the oligarchy of the superrich."

"Well then explain something to me: how does elevating yourself to _join_ the ranks of the superrich overthrow the oligarchy? You think you're some kind of Robin Hood, a hero, a great liberator, but who are you liberating, exactly? Nobody but yourself."

Raquel raised her eyebrows. Point Elena. Sergio wasn't so easily defeated, though.

"We are executing a very public defiance of an oppressive system. By doing so, we are an inspiration to millions of people across the globe. We provide hope."

"Hope of _what _exactly?"

"Freedom, equality."

"And brotherhood? You may want to update your slogan if you're quoting the French Revolution. E3 to F4. This is the 21st century. Here in Spain, at least, people _are _free."

"Free to work their entire lives for a pittance, you mean? People's choices are incredibly limited. Under the capitalism of the patriarchy, we are all slaves to money."

"Are you seriously lecturing _me _on the patriarchy?"

"Just because you're a woman doesn't mean that you're not complicit in upholding an oppressive system."

"And you're proposing, what? Anarchy?"

Raquel turned around to watch them, fascinated. She felt like she was witnessing a tennis match between two equally skilled opponents, and she couldn't imagine how they were talking and playing at the same time. Whenever she played chess, she needed time to think about her moves, but Sergio and Elena barely glanced at the board.

"I'm proposing a less paternalistic government, at least", he said, moving his castle.

"A little paternalism, sadly, is needed in a government."

"People are capable of making their own decisions."

She snorted. "You haven't spent much time around people, have you?"

"Enough to know that they deserve a better society."

"Ah", she said with a half-smile. "I see. You're an idealist. A3 to C5."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Just shut up and move the piece, I know what I'm doing."

"Fine, it's your call. And there's nothing wrong with idealism", he said calmly.

"Except that it makes you strive for the unreachable."

"We have to strive for the unreachable to see any improvement at all."

"I don't agree with that. As a society, we should set attainable goals and strive for those."

"That's such a pedestrian way of thinking. How can you achieve greatness if you don't reach for the stars?"

She snorted. "People who always have their eyes on the stars aren't concerned with the reality on the ground. C5 to A7, and now I have your bishop, thank you very much. I'd rather dream small and get somewhere, than to spend my life dedicated to pursuing a mirage."

"Would you call this operation a mirage, then?" he said, taking his bishop off the board. "I couldn't have dreamt bigger, and it looks to me like I'm very close to achieving that dream."

"You're not there yet, though", she said drily. "Let's see you get away first. But apart from that, I'm doing more to change the system than you ever will."

He gave her an amused look. "By working for the government from nine to five? Changing the patriarchy into a matriarchy single-handedly, are we?"

"Fine", she said. "Scoff all you want. But in a few years, I'll be at the top of my field, and then I'll be able to effect real changes."

"You want to become Police Commissioner?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"So I can use my power to do some good."

He shook his head. "All power corrupts, Elena."

"That's cynicism, and I don't agree with it at all. The problem is that incorruptible people rarely have what it takes to reach the top."

"And you think you're the exception to that?"

She raised her chin defiantly. "I do."

He laughed. "And you're calling _me _an idealist?"

"I'm talking about real, tangible changes here, not some vague, unformed ideals like you're espousing. A7 back to C5. I intend to tackle corruption and police brutality, and I'll finally be able to bring psychopaths like Alicia Sierra in line. What will _you_ be doing? Hiding in some third world country, sleeping in a hammock and drinking out of coconuts." She shot him a disdainful look. "But _viva la resistencia_, I guess."

Raquel's eyebrows shot up. _Ouch_. She turned back to the screens as the conversation went on and on, and where at first she'd enjoyed it, after a while it started to make her uncomfortable. They ranged further and further into a complicated discussion of ethics and political philosophy, discussing the relative merits of communist-adjacent socialism versus meritocratic libertarianism, all while continuing their game, and Raquel could see that Sergio was enjoying himself immensely. She realized with a rising sense of unease that she and Sergio had never had this kind of conversation. While she could follow everything they were saying, she was much more interested in practical matters than in abstract philosophical concepts, and she knew she'd never be able to argue against Sergio the way Elena was doing now – pushing him to defend himself, effortlessly poking holes in his arguments, challenging him at every turn – and he was so clearly loving it.

Suddenly, Berlin's voice sounded in her ear. _You're very different people. _She'd been aware of that before, but never more so than now, as she listened to him argue with Elena as if they shared the same brain, and she realized how incredibly similar they were. What if this was what Sergio really wanted? She heard Berlin again: _You have the heist tying you together now, but what will you talk about when it's over? _She'd honestly been a little worried about that – so much of their relationship was built around this heist. She glanced over her shoulder to see Sergio lean forward in his chair as he listened attentively to something Elena was saying. Clearly, _they _would have no trouble finding anything to talk about. _Do you really think you can keep him interested forever? _She felt a sudden wave of uncertainty. _Could _she keep him interested in the way that he needed it? She knew, she _knew _he loved her, but only love wasn't enough in the long term, especially for someone like Sergio. Would he get bored of her at some point? Would he, sooner or later, choose someone else over her? Someone like Elena? She felt a sudden urge to get up and drag Sergio away from her, but she firmly suppressed it and stayed seated.

Finally, the chess game reached a point where even Sergio and Elena needed to think about their moves, and Raquel turned to watch again. After a long pause, Sergio moved a piece and Elena sharply looked up at him.

"What are you doing?"

"You know what I'm doing."

"If you put that piece there, you have no more legal moves."

"Indeed."

"You're creating a stalemate?"

"I am."

"You can't do that! I was about to beat you in three moves!"

He grinned. "Exactly. Now it's a draw."

She gave him a look of highest indignation. "That's _such _a dishonorable way to end the game!"

He gestured at their surroundings. "Really, Inspector, what about this entire situation makes you think I would care about that? I play to win – and if I can't win, at least I won't lose."

"No honor amongst thieves, huh?"

"I'm not breaking any rules."

"But you're abusing the system."

"I'm using the system in an unconventional way."

"It feels like cheating."

"Exploiting a loophole is not cheating, it's merely clever."

"I would never do that."

He considered her. "No, you wouldn't. I guess that's the difference between you and me."

She gave him a cold look. "I think it's time you went to get us something to eat."

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I just want a break from looking at your smug face."

He laughed quietly and got up. "That's reasonable. I'll get us some food."

He asked the women what they wanted, then walked towards the door. On an impulse, she hurried after him and caught him just before he opened it.

"What's wrong?" he frowned.

She wasn't sure. She just knew that she felt deeply uneasy.

"I don't like this, Sergio."

"What?"

"This situation with Elena."

"I know", he said, "I don't like it either, but what can we do?"

She silently looked up at him for a moment, then said quietly: "Are you sure you don't?"

"That I don't what?"

"Like it."

His frown deepened. "Of course I don't _like _it, Raquel, this is a huge deviation from the plan."

Yes, she thought, that _would _be the thing that bothered him the most – the disruption of his plans.

"Just be careful", she said softly.

"About what?"

"Her. She's not… she's not your _guest_, Sergio."

"I know that", he said seriously, "I do. I just think we can still treat her decently – after all, she didn't ask for this either." He gave her an attentive look. "But I won't talk to her anymore if you don't want me to."

She suddenly felt ridiculous. "No… no, of course you can talk to her."

"We're keeping her tied at all times, we've tied up all loose ends… we've got the situation under control."

"I suppose. Just… don't trust her too much, Sergio. She's dangerous."

"Don't worry", he said soothingly. "I won't underestimate her again."

The knot in her stomach didn't loosen as she looked up at him. Oh, what she wouldn't give for all of this to be over – to leave this mess behind – to be safe with him. Elena discovering them last night had almost made them lose it all, and Raquel felt sick with worry. What else would go wrong? Would the next thing be even worse? Would the next thing tear them apart? She wanted to reach out to him, she wanted him to hold her and tell her that he loved her and that everything would be okay, but she couldn't quite bring herself to touch him yet. She was no longer angry at him, but it was hard to completely forgive him. So she simply nodded and said:

"Alright, go."

As he walked out the door, she turned around and looked at Elena, who was frowning down at the chess board. She was unarmed, she was tied up, and she seemed to have made peace with her situation. Why, then, Raquel wondered, did she feel like she was looking at a ticking time bomb?


	34. Reunite

**Day 6 **

Throughout the day, Raquel kept listening attentively to the transmission from Angel's bug to see if he seemed to have any suspicions about Elena's disappearance, but she heard nothing unusual. Elena had been extremely surprised when Raquel first turned on the radio in the morning.

"Wait… is that _Angel_?"

"Yes", Raquel said.

"_How_?"

"We put a bug on him when he entered the Mint with the medical team."

"Where?"

"In his glasses."

Elena pressed her lips together, then said reluctantly: "That's clever. So… you've been listening in on us the entire time?"

"Yes, we have."

She shook her head. "No wonder you were always a step ahead of me."

They listened together to Angel explaining to his team that Elena had gone on compassionate leave and that he would be taking over the investigation.

"It doesn't sound like he suspects anything's wrong", Elena said regretfully.

"It wouldn't help you if he did", Raquel said, a little apologetically.

"He could try to find me."

"We destroyed your phone when you were sleeping, so he can't track that. He could only find you through surveillance footage of the streets, and that would take a while. We'd hear it if he started investigating that and we'd have plenty of time to move our operation, including you."

Elena sighed. "Guess I shouldn't count on anyone to rescue me, then."

"I'm afraid not."

They were quiet for a while, listening to Angel talk to Colonel Prieto. Then Elena said:

"You know him better than me. Do you think he'll do a good job?"

Raquel shrugged. "A decent job, probably."

"I hope he can at least give you some trouble."

Raquel considered her. "Not as much as you did."

"I gave you trouble?"

"Quite a bit, yes. You were much cleverer than Sergio had anticipated and you threw him off several times."

Elena smiled in satisfaction. "Good."

In the early afternoon, Angel called the hangar. Raquel put a piece of tape over Elena's mouth, just to be safe, and Sergio picked up.

"Hello Inspector."

"This is Sub-inspector Rubio speaking", Angel said. "I'm taking over the operation."

Sergio pretended to be surprised. "Where's Inspector González?"

"She took a leave of absence for personal reasons."

"Oh", Sergio said, looking over at Elena, who gave him a dirty look in return. "I do hope she's okay."

"She's fine", Angel said. "But from now on, you'll be talking to me."

"Can I trust you?"

There was a short pause, then Angel said: "You can trust me as much as I can trust you."

"Sub-inspector Rubio", Sergio said, leaning back in his chair, "I have a feeling that we will get along splendidly."

…

In the early evening, Raquel was sitting in front of the screens while Sergio was tying Elena's hands again after eating, when there was a sudden scraping sound from the entrance to the tunnel – and then a head popped up.

"Moscow!" Raquel exclaimed, running over to him as he climbed out of the hole with a big smile.

"Hello Lisbon", he said, opening his arms, and she flew into them to embrace him.

"Oh, it's so good to see you again!" she said, feeling like it had been months – _years – _since the beginning of the heist, rather than six days. "How are you?"

"I'm fine", he said. "Just fine."

Sergio came over to them, smiling, and while he greeted Moscow, a second person climbed up out of the tunnel. Raquel gave him a careful look.

"Hello Berlin."

He nodded at her. "Lisbon."

They looked at each other for a moment, then Berlin grinned at her and Raquel realized with a surge of relief that he harbored no hard feelings towards her. The next moment, Sergio rushed past her and hugged his brother tightly. Berlin laughed and patted his brother on the back.

"How are things over here, my dear Professor?"

"Well…" he said, glancing over at Elena, who was seated with her back towards them.

Berlin raised his eyebrows. "What's this?"

"This is what your brother calls a 'calculated risk'", Raquel grumbled, and Sergio grimaced.

"How did she find you?" Berlin asked.

"I'll explain that to you another time", Sergio said hastily, then went off to talk to Moscow.

Berlin kept looking at Elena, and Raquel followed him as he walked over to her.

"Hello Inspector."

Elena sharply turned her head. "Oh, you've _got _to be kidding me."

Raquel reminded herself that the two had met when Elena had entered the Mint to see the hostages, and by the look on Elena's face, she had _not _enjoyed that encounter. Berlin, on the other hand, was smiling broadly.

"What a pleasure to see you again."

Elena looked daggers at him. "Can't say the same. I was hoping the next time I saw you, I'd be putting you in handcuffs."

He grinned. "We can still arrange that. I'm not opposed to a little bondage."

She gave him a look of utter disdain. "No thank you. I'd only end up disappointed."

"I can assure you that that's not true."

"Oh please", she said. "With all that swagger of yours, you've got to be overcompensating for…" her eyes flicked downwards, "…_something_."

Raquel suppressed a smile, but Berlin's grin didn't waver.

"Would you like to find out?"

She raised her chin. "Buddy, you couldn't handle me."

He laughed, delighted, then said: "I think you'd be surprised."

Something about his tone was making Raquel deeply uncomfortable.

"Alright", she said, "that's enough, Berlin."

"Ah", Berlin said softly, not taking his eyes off Elena. "You know, Inspector, Lisbon here has been acting as my… moral compass over the past few days. Always making sure I stay honorable."

"She has my condolences", Elena said drily. "That sounds like an extremely shitty job."

Berlin chuckled and turned around. Raquel and Elena shared a look of exasperation, then Raquel followed Berlin to join Sergio and Moscow.

"What a woman", she heard Berlin say appreciatively. "Maybe I should come visit you more often."

"Leave her alone, Berlin", Raquel said firmly. "She's already tied up here against her will, she doesn't need you to harass her on top of that."

"I think she likes me", Berlin grinned.

Raquel snorted. "I _strongly _disagree."

"Women often say one thing and mean another."

Raquel bristled. "That's just an excuse men use when we don't say what you want to hear."

"Anyway", Berlin said, "would you two like to come into the Mint to see how things are going?"

"Yes!" Raquel and Sergio both said at the same time, then they grinned at each other.

They gave Moscow a gun and asked him to keep an eye on Elena in their absence, then they descended the ladder after Berlin. The tunnel was long and low, and Raquel's back was aching by the time they got to the other side. She looked around eagerly at the big vault the tunnel ended in, and then Berlin led them through a number of hallways, showing them the places they had so far only seen through their cameras. Finally, they got to the hall with the presses, and Raquel looked on in awe as the sheets of money kept rolling past, until someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Quite a sight, huh?"

She turned around. "Nairobi!"

The two women hugged each other, laughing, then Nairobi threw her arms around a startled Sergio, who carefully patted her on the back.

"It's good to see you, Profe."

"It's nice to see you too, Nairobi."

She released him. "Do you want to see it?"

"Yes", they nodded eagerly, and she led the way to a particular office, then opened the door with a broad smile.

Raquel clapped a hand to her mouth at the sight of the rolls upon rolls of money that were stacked up to the ceiling. She'd known, rationally, that they had already printed over a billion euros, but to actually see it with her own eyes left her speechless. The next moment, Sergio took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly, and she squeezed back, their issues momentarily forgotten.

"This is it", Sergio whispered, then turned shining eyes on her. "We did this, you and me."

"Mostly you", she said, but he shook his head.

"No, this would all have gone wrong by now if it hadn't been for you", he said. "We did this, together."

He looked down at her with such a warm smile that she couldn't help but smile back. It felt so nice to share this moment with him… maybe she could forgive him after all… She almost leaned in to kiss him, but then Berlin clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder, and he let go of her hand.

"So, what do you think?"

"You did an excellent job, Berlin."

They went down to the museum, where several of the others were guarding the hostages. There was laughter and hugs all around, and Raquel was surprised to realize that she was even happy to see Tokyo again. Then, a curly-haired figure emerged from behind Denver.

"Professor, Lisbon", Denver said, putting his arm around the woman's waist. "This is Monica."

Sergio and Raquel glanced at each other, then Raquel held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Monica."

Monica smiled at her, and Raquel felt instinctively that she was going to like this woman.

Sergio followed her example and shook her hand as well. "Ms. Gaztambide, I am the Professor."

"I know", Monica nodded. "I've heard all about you."

"How is your gunshot wound?" Raquel asked.

"It's healing", she said, then smiled up at Denver. "Denver has been taking care of me."

Raquel noticed the way they looked at each other and raised her eyebrows. This looked serious. And indeed, the next moment Denver turned to Sergio and said:

"Professor, I want Monica to join the gang."

Sergio blinked in surprise. "Uhm… what?"

"Is this something you want, Monica?" Raquel asked.

Monica shifted closer to Denver. "Yes, I do."

"She's been helping us", Denver explained. "She can't go back out. I want her to come with us when we leave."

"I… uhm… we're not prepared for that", Sergio protested weakly.

"We've already made her a passport", Denver said. "And I'm sure there's plenty of room on the boat…"

"_Denver_", Sergio said sharply, glancing nervously at Monica. "Please don't discuss our escape plans before we've decided if she can join us."

"Well then, can she?"

"I…" Sergio said, throwing a look at Raquel. "Lisbon and I will consider it."

Denver opened his mouth to protest, but Monica put a hand on his chest and said:

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

As they returned to the hangar through the tunnel, Raquel felt giddy with joy. She'd been dealing with the stress of the heist, the fall-out, the strain it put on her relationship, without seeing any of the results of their troubles. Now she had the feeling like they were working for something real, something tangible – something that would allow her to start a new life after this was over, a better life than she'd been able to imagine six months ago. As they exited the tunnel back into the hangar, Raquel sharply shook herself. She'd been taking it for granted lately, this new life. She was still scared that something might go wrong of course, she thought, glancing at Elena, but apart from that she'd gotten used to the idea that she would have money, and freedom, and a family after this.

She reminded herself sternly that she almost hadn't had a life at all anymore – that, if it hadn't been for Sergio, she would have been in a prison cell right now. She looked over to where he was talking to Moscow, and she felt a sudden surge of gratitude and love. She owed him so much… she owed him everything. Now he'd made a mistake – granted, it was a stupid mistake – but couldn't she forgive him? Moscow left, and she'd just decided to go over and hug him, when he turned around and went to talk to Elena, and she felt her heart sink. If he liked Elena's company so much, what did that mean for the future she'd envisioned for herself? She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but… would she always have to worry that he'd leave her at some point? She took a deep breath and seated herself behind the desk to watch the screens, trying to shut out Berlin's voice echoing in her ears again. She didn't see Sergio look up at her with an expression of sadness and longing.

…

That evening, Raquel slept first. When Sergio woke her in the middle of the night, she still felt tired and groggy, and her head didn't fully clear until Sergio had gotten into bed and she sat down behind the desk, ready for another six uneventful hours of staring at the screens. She glanced over towards Elena, who was looking up at the ceiling with an expression of immeasurable boredom, and she felt her natural empathy overcome her apprehensions surrounding the woman. Sergio was right – she hadn't asked for this either – and Raquel resolved to make an effort to talk to her. Yesterday, Elena had refused to talk to either Raquel or Sergio throughout the night, but she'd opened up considerably during her chess game with Sergio, and Raquel felt like tonight she might be more forthcoming. She glanced over again and noticed that Elena was shifting against her ropes.

"Are you uncomfortable?"

Elena considered her for a long moment, then nodded. "Well… yes."

"When did Sergio last let you move?"

She hesitated. "He didn't."

Raquel frowned. "You mean you haven't moved since I went to bed?"

"No."

"No wonder you're uncomfortable! Why didn't Sergio untie you at some point?"

"I don't think it occurred to him."

"Why didn't you ask?"

Elena regarded her silently, and Raquel gave her an amused look.

"You didn't want to show any weakness in front of him, did you?"

Elena kept looking at her steadily. "Would you?"

"No", Raquel mused. "If I were in your situation, I might not either."

She walked over to Elena and untied her from the chair, keeping her wrists tied together, then aimed her gun at her.

"Alright, you can walk around a bit, but don't try anything."

"With my hands tied behind my back?" Elena scoffed. "I'm touched by your belief in my superpowers."

Nevertheless, Raquel kept her gun steady as Elena stretched herself, but when she saw her wince in pain, she suddenly felt rather bad.

"I'm sorry Sergio wasn't more considerate."

"He's not generally a very considerate person, is he?"

Raquel hesitated. "He can be, but I understand why you would think so. You haven't exactly seen his best side."

"No", Elena said drily. "I haven't."

Raquel felt a sudden stab of pity. "Elena, I'm sorry about the way he treated you."

She frowned. "It's not _that _big a deal, Raquel, he just left me sitting for six hours."

"No", Raquel said, "I meant… the way he treated you before."

"Oh", Elena said. "You mean when he was pretending to be Salva to get information out of me."

"Yes. He… he made you think you were on a date and he shouldn't have done that."

Elena threw her an amused look. "It's okay, Raquel, don't worry about it."

"It's not okay, he led you on."

Elena gave her a half-smile. "He didn't break my heart, if that's what you're worried about."

"I thought you liked him?"

"I did. I prefer to like the men I sleep with. But really that's all I was interested in."

"Oh", Raquel said. "You weren't…"

"Falling in love with him?" Elena said. "No. I don't do relationships."

"Ever?"

"Ever."

"Why not?"

Elena shrugged. "Too much hassle."

Raquel nodded. "That's why you wanted to sleep with him on your first date."

"He told you about that, huh?"

"Yes."

Elena suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Look, Raquel, I never would have asked him that if I'd known he wasn't single."

Raquel frowned. "Well, how could you possibly have known that?"

"Still, I wanted to make that clear."

Raquel's frown deepened. "Elena, he was lying to you, you're not at fault here."

She sighed. "I suppose. Thanks."

Raquel felt an unexpected wave of sympathy for her former colleague. She noticed her roll her shoulders, so she asked:

"How are your arms and hands feeling?"

"Numb", Elena said succinctly. "I haven't felt my fingers in hours."

Raquel considered her, then said: "I'll untie you for a bit."

Elena looked up sharply, so she quickly added:

"Don't get your hopes up! I'm going to tie your ankles first, like Sergio does when you're eating."

"That's fine", Elena said, and there was such a look of relief in her eyes when she sat down that Raquel realized she was in real pain. She quickly got some more rope and tied her ankles to the chair, then untied her wrists, and Elena inhaled sharply as she brought her arms around and the blood started flowing again.

"Does it hurt?" Raquel asked sympathetically.

"Yes", Elena said breathlessly, carefully bending and unbending her fingers, swearing softly under her breath. After a while, Raquel saw her relax, and she looked up again, rubbing her wrists.

"You know, it can't have been fun for you either."

"What?" Raquel asked.

"Knowing that he was contacting me. You have a lot of common sense, I can't imagine you agreed with what he was doing."

"No", Raquel said drily, "I didn't."

"I didn't think so", Elena said. "Well, at least you didn't have to worry that he was actually interested in me."

"Didn't I?" Raquel asked without thinking, then immediately regretted saying it.

Elena looked surprised. "Of course not. He's so obviously in love with you."

Raquel hesitated, feeling all of her insecurities come to the surface again. Then she noticed that Elena was observing her attentively, and she had the uncomfortable feeling that she was looking right through her. Suddenly Elena said:

"You were still tired when you woke up, weren't you?"

"Yes", Raquel said, surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Because you were having nightmares."

Raquel suddenly remembered – yes, it was true, she _did _have nightmares. But…

"How could you tell?"

"You were tossing and turning. Your blanket kept falling to the ground."

Raquel frowned. "I was under the covers when I woke up though."

"Yes", Elena said, "because Sergio kept going over to pick it up and cover you again. Over and over and over."

Raquel felt herself go red. "He did?"

"Yes", Elena said. "He did."

Raquel suddenly felt a rather warm glow spread through her chest at the thought of Sergio patiently making sure that she didn't get cold.

Elena continued: "After about a dozen times, he sat down on the bed and started talking to you, very quietly, and that's when you calmed down." She paused. "He stayed with you for over half an hour to make sure you were sleeping soundly."

Raquel didn't know what to say. "Why are you telling me this?"

Elena looked away. "I know me being here is causing tension between you."

Raquel frowned. "Why do you care? We're keeping you prisoner. If we're fighting, all the better for you."

Elena said nothing, and Raquel continued:

"Come to think of it, you offered to help me yesterday too. Why?"

Elena glanced at her, and for a moment it looked like she was about to say something, but then she seemed to change her mind and said:

"You can tie my hands again if you need to get back to your screens."

"Alright", Raquel said slowly, looking at her closely, but she seemed unwilling to continue the conversation.

As Raquel kneeled down behind the chair and tied her wrists together again, she had the distinct feeling that there was something Elena wasn't telling her… though she had no idea what it could be.

…

In the early morning, their phone suddenly started ringing, and Raquel could see on the screens that it was Nairobi.

"Can I come over to you for a bit, Lisbon? I have to get out of here or I'll go mad."

"Of course, Nairobi, the tunnel is open."

"I'll be right there."

A few minutes later, Nairobi climbed up out of the hole and looked around.

"So this is where you've been spending your heist, huh? Not exactly the Hilton."

"No", Raquel said drily. "It's not."

"Where's the Professor?"

"He's sleeping, so keep your voice down."

Nairobi suddenly spotted Elena and her eyebrows shot up.

"What's going on here?"

Raquel sighed. "We have an unexpected guest."

"Who is this?"

"Inspector González."

Nairobi's eyes went big. "Oh shit."

"That's accurate."

"What… how?"

"That's a long story, I'll tell you some other time. Let me introduce you."

They walked over to Elena, who looked at Nairobi with interest. Raquel introduced them, and the two women nodded at each other.

Then Raquel turned back to Nairobi. "So why did you have to get out of there?"

Nairobi rolled her eyes. "Berlin."

"What's he done this time? Do I have to come over and…"

"No, no", Nairobi said. "He's just being a total and utter asshole."

"Isn't that his entire personality?" Elena muttered.

Nairobi looked down at her. "You know Berlin?"

"I've had the misfortune of meeting him, yes. You've been working with him in there?"

"Yes."

"Then you have my congratulations."

"What for?"

"For not smothering him in his sleep."

Nairobi looked surprised, then grinned at Raquel. "I like her."

Raquel smiled, then they heard the alarm on Sergio's phone go off. Five minutes later, Sergio joined them at the desk, where Raquel was showing Nairobi the screens.

"Good morning, Nairobi", he said formally, then he turned to Raquel and repeated, in a much softer tone: "Good morning."

She looked at him. "Good morning."

There was still an awkward tension between them. Raquel remembered what Elena had told her about last night, and she suddenly wished she could just go to him and kiss him and make things alright again, but she didn't know how. Nairobi was looking between the two of them and raised her eyebrows. Sergio glanced at Elena, then said quietly:

"We should talk about… the thing Denver asked us, but I think it would be better if Elena didn't overhear."

"I agree", Raquel said. "We could wait until she's asleep?"

Sergio hesitated. "I don't know, we'd have to discuss adjusting our escape plans as well, and what if she's only pretending to sleep and overhears us?"

Raquel felt pleased that he was being careful around Elena at last. "We could go into the Mint to talk. If Nairobi wouldn't mind keeping an eye on the screens?"

Sergio cleared his throat. "Maybe we could go to the backup location?"

Raquel frowned. "That's a risk for me, the streets are still crawling with cops."

"We could take a taxi."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just go into the Mint?"

Nairobi suddenly intervened. "I think the Professor's idea is pretty good. Get out of here for a bit, Lisbon, I'll watch the screens, and the cop as well."

"Alright", Raquel said, noting the look of relief on Sergio's face. "It's her turn to sleep anyway."

Raquel bound Elena securely to the bed while Sergio called a taxi, then Nairobi took Raquel aside and said:

"You don't have to hurry back, you know."

"Won't they miss you in the Mint?"

"No, Mr. Torres can run things without me for a while."

"Alright. Thanks."

Nairobi frowned. "Are you two alright?"

Raquel hesitated. "More… more or less."

"Well then, talk it out." She grinned. "Or, you know, find another way to work things out."

…

The moment they stepped into the backup location and Sergio turned on the lights, Raquel couldn't help but smile at the many happy memories she had of this place. Their first time had been here, and they'd slept here after their first official date. She felt better just being here – this was their spot, just for the two of them.

He turned to her. "I feel like we should let Monica join us if she wants to."

"I agree", she said. "Is there room for her on the boat?"

"I assume she'll share a cabin with Denver, so yes."

"Will she get a share of the profits if she joins the gang?"

Sergio hesitated. "That's tricky. She's only joining us last minute, she didn't put in the preparation the others did, and she's not taking the same risk. What do you think?"

"I feel like Denver should just share with her."

"Yes, I agree. His share is plenty for two people."

"Alright, then… it's settled?"

"I think so."

She frowned. "Did we have to come all this way just for _that_?"

"No", he said, his voice softening. "I wanted to talk to you. I know you're still angry at me and you have every right to be, of course. I've tried to give you some space but I… I miss you, Raquel."

She looked up at him, teetering on the edge of forgiving him completely. She just wanted to be close to him again. He reached out to take her hand and gently pulled her closer, gazing down at her with a wistful look in his eyes.

"I think this is the longest I've ever gone without kissing you."

"I wasn't in the mood to kiss you."

"I know", he said. "I don't deserve your kisses. But I do miss them."

The way he was looking at her – the way he was standing so close to her – the way he smelled – she felt herself lean into him instinctively. She'd missed his kisses too, she'd missed them so much.

He felt her soften and bent his head to murmur:

"I've made mistakes, Raquel. I thought I was clever but there's so much I don't know. I know I love you, though. I do know that."

He bent his head lower, hesitating, seeing if she would pull away. When she didn't, he carefully, softly pressed his lips against hers, just for a moment, and she felt her resistance to him dissolve into nothingness. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face against his chest, and he hugged her close in return and leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

"Can you forgive me?"

She just nodded silently, breathing him in. _Oh. _This was how they were supposed to be, him and her, this was how the world felt right. In his arms, all of her worries melted away.

"Thank you", he murmured against her hair, tightening his arms around her. "Thank you for forgiving me, I know I don't deserve it. You're such a wonderful person, Raquel. You… you're the best person I know."

She looked up at him. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course", he whispered. "You just _are_, and I… I can't believe my luck that I found you and that I get to spend the rest of my life with you."

She suddenly felt so foolish. Why had she been so insecure? It was true that he seemed to enjoy Elena's company, but he clearly loved _her_. Of course she couldn't be sure that he'd never get bored of her in the future, but right now he clearly believed they would spend their lives together, and that was all she could ask for, so she leaned her head against his chest and just enjoyed the feeling of his arms around her.

They stood together for a long time, then he released her and stepped back, sighing regretfully.

"I suppose we should get back."

"Actually", she smiled, "Nairobi said she didn't mind watching the screens for a while… she said we didn't have to hurry back."

A slow smile appeared on his face. "Really?"

"Really", she said, stepping closer to him again. "And unlike the bed back there, the bed here has enough room for the two of us."

"Ah", he said, nodding, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I see. You want to take a nap."

She laughed. "Guess again."

"You want to… build a pillow fort?"

She grinned. "Actually, that sounds amazing, but I don't think we have _that _much time and I'd rather spend it on… other things."

"Hmm", he said, bending his head. "Things like… this?"

He bent his head even lower and brushed his lips against the sensitive skin of her neck, and she sighed and tilted her head. Yes, _yes_, this was what she needed right now: his arms around her, his skin against hers, their bodies entwining, that unique connection they had that she'd never felt with anyone else and she knew he hadn't either. She caught his face between her hands and made him look up so she could press her lips against his, and he lifted her off the ground as she kissed him, so hungry for him. _God bless Nairobi_, she thought as he carried her over to the bed.

They couldn't stop kissing – they hadn't kissed in almost two days and now it seemed impossible to stop, unwilling as they both were to waste a single, precious second of this stolen time. Undressing under those circumstances required some creativity, but fortunately they were very motivated, so it wasn't long before she was lying on top of him, skin to skin, kissing him deeply as his hands moved down her bare back. In his arms, she felt better than she had in days – he kissed her so eagerly that her insecurities faded, touched her so tenderly that she simply couldn't doubt how he felt about her. His body and his closeness reassured her more deeply than his words could, as she felt in everything the reaffirmation of the bond they shared. Life might push them apart in many different ways, but sooner or later, they always found their way back to each other.

His hands were caressing her buttocks and the backs of her thighs, lighting a fire inside of her that took her breath away with its sudden intensity. It still surprised her, the way he affected her body so deeply, the way it responded to him with such enthusiasm, his slightest touch making her shiver, his kisses and caresses invariably producing a deep, aching longing for him that she was powerless to resist. She wanted to hold him, feeling an overwhelming desire to be as close to him as possible, so he sat on the edge of the bed and they wrapped their arms around each other and kept kissing as she straddled him on her knees. She lifted her hips and moaned softly against his lips as she sank down on him, the pleasure of taking him inside her always new, always fresh. She moaned again as she started moving, shivers of delight running down her spine as he started kissing her neck.

He held her close as they rocked together, but after a while he leaned back so he could move a hand between them. She gasped as his fingers found the right spot, eliciting an immediate surge of pleasure that had her breathing fast as they increased the pace of their movements. Soon, she felt the tension inside her build and build until she was moaning every time she sank down on him, then she buried her face against his shoulder and held on tight to him as the feeling swept through her, strong and bright and amazing, making her gasp for breath against his skin. When it faded again, he pulled back his hand and held her, stroking her hair as she leaned against him and caught her breath. Before she'd fully recovered, he let them fall back onto the mattress and rolled her, unresisting, onto her side. She smiled in utter contentment as he came to lie close behind her, putting an arm underneath her head and fitting his body to hers so they were connected full-length.

"Ready to go again?" he murmured in her ear.

"Yes", she whispered back. "Oh, yes."

When he slowly entered her again, the pleasure of it was undiminished, making her sigh and press herself even closer to him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and started taking her with slow, unhurried strokes. They sank into it, and she got lost in the feeling, her eyes closed, savoring the feeling of his warm skin against hers and the way he moved to fill her over and over again. When he started covering her neck and shoulder with kisses, the bliss of it was overwhelming, and she wished with all her might that this would never end. After a while, he moved his hand between her legs and started stroking her with light fingers, careful because she was already sensitive. The combined sensations made her moan, and he kept it up until her entire body was thrumming with unreleased tension, his touch so delicate that it kept her teetering on the edge for several breathless moments, but then his other hand cupped a breast and when he pinched her nipple, that sent her straight over the edge with a gasp. For the second time, she trembled in his arms and he kept taking her deeply as the feeling shook her, gloriously, making her moan and moan with the absolute pleasure of it. When it finally faded, it left her soft and warm and happy, and she took his arm and tucked it snugly around her waist so he could hug her close. He pushed himself deep inside her, then he lay still as she recovered, softly stroking her hip and stomach. When her mind cleared, she realized something.

"Sergio", she said, "you still haven't…"

"No", he said.

"Why not?"

"I don't want it to be over yet", he murmured, and she smiled. God, she loved his stamina.

She hummed her contentment as she pressed herself backwards against him and started moving her hips again.

"Well, now it's your turn."

"Mmm", he murmured, but his hand was already dipping back between her legs.

She gasped and pushed it away. "No darling, it's too sensitive now."

He nodded and, to her surprise, he pulled back and rolled her onto her back.

"What are you doing?" she laughed as he moved down to lie between her legs.

"If you're too sensitive, let's try it this way."

She pushed herself up on her elbows. "Sergio, I've already come twice, really, it's enough."

"One more time", he murmured, kissing the inside of her thighs.

"Sergio…"

"Of course", he said, "if you don't want to…"

He gave her a soft lick and she shivered. "… we don't have to…"

Another lick and an involuntary moan escaped her lips. "… but I have a feeling that you might prove to be…"

At the third stroke of his tongue, she threw back her head and closed her eyes. "… persuadable."

He pressed his warm mouth to her and she fell back into the pillows, past resisting. He looked up with a smile.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes", she whispered, "yes, don't stop."

"Good", he said with satisfaction, then bent back down and set to work in earnest.

The feeling of it was exquisite, his tongue wonderfully soft against her sensitive parts. He gave her plenty of time to get there again, exploring her thoroughly, then he entered her with two fingers and pushed upwards, and she gasped and arched her back.

"Oh! Oh, yes!"

He pressed his mouth to her again, focusing entirely on the one spot now, and soon she was breathing hard again as she felt another orgasm build, faster than she'd thought possible, but what he was doing felt _so good_, every touch amplified by her sensitivity. A hot, delicious tingling was starting up in her core, so intense it took her breath away, and then he picked up the pace and she was lost. She rose up out of the pillows with a cry as wave after wave of pleasure crashed through her, making her shake and clutch desperately at the sheets as he just kept her going and going, until her breath came in sobs and she pushed his head away. She fell back down, shivering, moaning softly, and pressed her hands to her face.

"Oh my god."

"Good?"

"That's… quite the understatement", she panted.

She heard him rumble in satisfaction, then he returned to kissing her thighs. She reached out a hand and gently tugged at his hair.

"Come on up, now it really is your turn."

He didn't move.

"Sergio?"

"Just one more time", he murmured.

She laughed. "Are you mad? I'm _exhausted, _I can't go again."

"I think you can", he said. "In a little while…"

"But what about you?"

He shook his head. "Let's focus on you."

She pushed herself up on her elbows and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing", he said quickly, but his expression said something else.

"Yes there is."

"No, really…"

She gave him a stern look. "Talk."

He sighed. "It's just… I feel like I have a lot to make up for."

"Make up for?"

"I want to make it up to you… the mistakes I made, not listening to you… all of that."

"Excuse me?" she said indignantly. "You've been doing this out of _guilt_? Those were guilt orgasms?"

He gave her a tentative smile. "More of a… peace offering?"

"Were you even planning to come yourself?"

He colored slightly and mumbled: "I feel like I don't deserve it."

"Oh no", she said, frowning. "No, no, no."

She sat up and pulled away from him, crossing her legs to give him an earnest look as he sat up too.

"Sergio, I forgave you, I don't want you to feel like you have to do some kind of… penance."

He grinned. "Well, it's not like I didn't _want _to do it." He gave her a warm look. "You know you're very sexy when you…"

She held up a hand. "That doesn't matter. I don't want you to do that sort of thing because you feel _obligated_."

"I don't", he said seriously. "Really, Raquel, you know how much I love making love to you, I enjoyed every second of it, I swear."

She smiled. "Okay, maybe I didn't mind _that _part. But you shouldn't feel like you can't allow yourself any pleasure."

"Giving you pleasure gives me pleasure too", he said.

"You know what I mean", she said gently. "I don't want you to feel like you have to punish yourself if you made a mistake. I don't want that kind of dynamic in my relationship."

She shifted closer to him and stroked his cheek. "Making love should be something joyful. It should be about connecting and enjoying each other and _mutual _pleasure."

"But what if I've really done something wrong?"

"Then you change your behavior in the future", she said drily. "_That's _how you make things up to me. If I agree to sleep with you, I will always want it to be good for the both of us. _Always._ We solve our issues outside of the bedroom. By talking. Agreed?"

He nodded, and she leaned in to kiss him, then pulled back with a smile.

"So… let's take care of you now."

Before he could say anything else, she pushed him onto his back and came to sit on top of him.

"You don't have to…" he protested weakly, but then she sank down on him and he shuddered.

"Were you saying something?" she said sweetly, shifting her hips in a way that made him groan.

"No", he breathed. "No, not at all."

"Good", she smiled, as she slowly started moving. "Because you're in for a bit of a ride. Are you ready?"

His eyes were shining. "Yes."

"Oh", she teased him, moving up and down his length, "I don't think you are. I give you two minutes."

"Really?" he said, amused. "Try me."

They grinned at each other – challenge accepted. Then she tilted her hips and he gasped as she was suddenly so tight around him.

"Oh!"

She started riding him, hard, and within seconds his breathing quickened and his face was flushed, but she knew his stamina was excellent and she'd have to do better than that to get him to lose control. So she reached down a hand and made a ring of her forefinger and thumb, which she closed around the base of his shaft, then tightened until he moaned. Now when she moved, she moved her hand too, creating a delicious contrast between the tightness of her fingers and the softness inside of her.

"Oh!" he gasped. "Oh god!"

To her delight, he was showing clear signs of breaking after only a few strokes: his eyes were tightly closed and he was gripping the sheets so hard his knuckles whitened. She reached out her other hand and drew her nails down his chest and stomach, and his eyes flew open and he cried out:

"Stop! Stop!"

She stopped moving and grinned in satisfaction as he pressed his hands to his face.

"_Fuck_", he breathed. "Fuck, you're _incredible_."

"Do you surrender?" she teased him.

He looked up at her and his eyes were shining with admiration.

"Yes", he said. "I surrender to you, Raquel, I surrender everything. I'm all yours."

"That's what I like to hear", she smiled.

He laughed, then grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to kiss her. When she pulled back, she felt his mood shift as he gave her a soft look.

"I love you, you know."

She felt a sudden ache in her chest. "I love you too."

He carefully pushed back her hair, then lifted his head to kiss her so tenderly it made her want to cry.

"Raquel", he said softly, "I'll do better from now on. I promise. You _deserve_ better."

She leaned her forehead against his in response, and they closed their eyes and stayed like that for a while, just connecting. Finally he took a deep breath and said:

"I never want to fight with you again."

"Me neither", she murmured, and in that moment, it really felt like that was possible.

"Now stay close to me", he whispered, then he sighed happily as she pressed her body against his and started moving again. He wrapped his arms around her and murmured softly in her ear:

"Oh, I love the way you move."

She set a slower pace now, kissing him deeply as his hands tenderly stroked her back, and soon they were entirely wrapped up in each other. They moved together so easily, so completely in tune with one another, whispering sweet things and exchanging soft caresses, the entire world reduced to their two bodies, moving as one. Finally he tensed, but at the last moment, she felt a last remnant of resistance holding him back as he clenched his jaw and frowned.

"Hey", she whispered, kissing his cheek. "It's alright. We're alright. I love you. Always, my love, no matter what."

He sighed and she felt him relax.

"I love you too", he murmured, then he wrapped his arms around her, buried his face in her hair and whispered her name as he finally let go.

She covered him with kisses as he caught his breath, then she tried to get off him, but he wouldn't let her.

"Oh no", he rumbled, tightening his arms around her. "No, you're staying right here."

So she laughed softly and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it gradually slowed down. He kissed her hair.

"God, Raquel", he whispered, "you're amazing. You're _amazing."_

And there it was again, in the back of her mind: Berlin's voice. _You may have captured his attention in the bedroom for now, but at some point that will fade, and then what will you have?_

But this time, the words didn't touch her. This time, she was warm and safe in his arms and the words were just words. _Shut up, Berlin, _she thought, cuddling closer to him. _You have _no idea _what we have. _


	35. Villain

**Day 7**

As they returned to the control room, they stayed close together, laughing softly, touching constantly. He spent the entire taxi ride – short as it was – with his mouth at her ear, murmuring sweet things. Getting out of the taxi, before she could open the door of the hangar, he pushed her up against it and kissed her, kissed her, kissed her until she was breathless. When they finally walked through the door, holding hands, Nairobi took one look at them and grinned broadly.

"So, did you have a good… talk?"

"Yes", Raquel smiled. "We really did."

"Best talk of my life", Sergio mumbled, then turned slightly red with an embarrassed grin as the two women laughed, and Raquel reached up to kiss him again.

Nairobi shook her head with an expression of amused satisfaction. "You two really are disgustingly cute."

"I know", Raquel said happily, not taking her eyes off Sergio, who was giving her a warm smile.

Nairobi snapped her fingers. "Hello, earth to the love birds. Not to burst your bubble or anything, but you still have a heist to run."

"Right", Raquel said, shaking herself and stepping away from Sergio, who cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"How did everything go, Nairobi?" he asked.

"Oh, fine", she said. "The cop gave me no trouble, she's still sleeping. But I don't know how the both of you haven't died of boredom yet, staring at these screens all day."

She saw them exchange a glance and she snorted. "Though I'm guessing you've found ways to keep each other entertained."

"Thank you for keeping an eye on things while we were gone", Raquel said.

"You're welcome", Nairobi said, getting up. "I'll get back to my presses now, you can take over again." Then she threw them a sharp look. "You _are _going to watch the screens, right? Or are you going straight back to kissing when I'm gone?"

"We'll watch the screens", Raquel assured her. "Don't worry."

"We can control ourselves", Sergio said with dignity.

"Hmm", Nairobi said, raising a finger in mock warning. "You better. Because if I die in a hostage rebellion because you two were sitting here making googly eyes at each other, I _will _come back to haunt you."

Sergio sat down at the desk while Raquel walked Nairobi to the entrance of the tunnel, where she gave her a warm hug.

"Thank you", Raquel whispered.

Nairobi chuckled and patted her on the back. "Anytime. I didn't get you two together only to see you fall apart _now_."

…

Raquel felt much better throughout the morning. Berlin's words still echoed through her mind sporadically, and she still felt a small stab of unease whenever she saw Sergio talk to Elena, but it was all much more manageable now. She decided not to bother him with her insecurities – not while they were running such a massive operation – not when they would be out of here in a few days and everything would change anyway. Once they started their lives together, they would soon enough find out if they were truly compatible, if they would have anything to talk about. She'd just have to wait and see, so she pushed her fears aside and focused on getting this heist done.

Sergio spent the entirety of lunch trying to persuade Elena to come over to his way of thinking, but to Raquel's delight, she wouldn't budge. After about half an hour, Sergio came over to her and sat down next to her at the desk, heaving a frustrated sigh.

"I just can't change her mind. She's so stubborn."

"Hmm", Raquel said. "Not unlike someone else I know."

He looked up in surprise. "I'm not stubborn."

"Hmm", she said again. "Why do you want to persuade her so badly?"

"Because I'm right."

"So?"

"I need her to see that!"

"Why?"

"Because… because then I've won."

"I don't think she's going to let you win though."

"Of course she won't _let _me, that's the challenge!"

"You're getting nowhere."

"I will! I'm sure of it."

"I think you should just give up."

"Never", he smiled. "There has to be a way in with her, and I'll find it."

"I see", she said lightly.

"See what?"

She grinned at him. "That you're not stubborn."

He laughed and leaned in to kiss her. Then he nodded at the radio and asked:

"How is Angel doing over there?"

"Okay", she frowned. "But this is the first time he's leading an operation like this and I'm afraid he'll want to prove himself. I think it's time we let him discover the house in Toledo so he'll be distracted for a few days. He has to feel like he's getting somewhere or he might do something stupid."

"Alright", Sergio nodded. "I'll lead him to Toledo, then."

He picked up the phone and followed the script they'd prepared for this moment, gradually steering the talk in such a way that he could drop the name of the village nearest to the house into the conversation as if it were an accident. And sure enough, the moment he hung up, they could hear through Angel's bug that he ordered people to start researching possible locations near the village. Half an hour later, the house had been localized.

"Let's go!" they heard Angel say, and they grinned broadly at each other. That couldn't have gone any smoother, and now Angel would be completely out of their hair for the next two days or so.

An hour later, Angel and his team arrived at the house, and they listened closely, but it was clear that Angel suspected nothing at first glance. So Raquel left Sergio to listen to the transmission, as she went into the Mint to tell Monica and Denver the good news that Monica would be allowed to join the team.

…

Sergio was listening attentively to the transmission from Angel's bug. He wanted to know Angel's first impressions – if he became suspicious at some point, they needed to know it. There were many different voices coming through the radio – different people coming up to talk to Angel. But then one particular voice caught his attention.

"Hello Angel."

Angel's reply was polite but cool. "Hello Alberto."

Sergio looked up sharply. Was this… yes, it had to be.

"So you're in charge now?"

"I am."

"Well, tell me what we have here."

Raquel was climbing back up from the tunnel, and Sergio suddenly felt a surge of worry. He couldn't let her hear – the last time something had reminded her of Alberto, she'd had a panic attack. What would it do to her to actually hear his voice? As she walked over to him, he could think of only one thing. He switched the radio off.

"Why are you turning it off?" she said as she sat down next to him.

"I… there's nothing interesting to hear right now."

"I don't agree, I want to hear what proceedings he's using. Turn it back on."

He hesitated. "No."

She frowned. "Sergio, turn it back on."

"No, that's… that's not a good idea."

"Why not?"

He cast around for an excuse, but he could think of no good reason.

He sighed. "There's… someone there whose voice you might not want to hear."

Her frown deepened, but then comprehension dawned on her face.

"Oh. Alberto."

He nodded. "I'm sorry."

"I suppose it makes sense they brought him in. He's the best. I should have seen it coming."

"You don't have to listen to the radio over the next two days", he assured her. "I can do that. Unfortunately this radio doesn't have a plug for headphones, so you'll have to stay away from the desk so you won't hear anything, but you can keep an eye on the team and on Elena."

She was quiet for a moment, then she said: "No, I want to hear him."

"Raquel", he said carefully, "I don't think that's a good idea."

She swallowed but shook her head. "I want to hear him, Sergio."

He hesitated. "Really?"

"I'm already so limited in my movements in here, I refuse to stick only to the corners of the hangar for _him. _I won't let him limit me anymore. Turn it on."

"Are you sure?"

She steeled herself. "Yes."

Sergio held out his hand and squeezed when she took it.

"I'm right here with you."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

Very reluctantly, Sergio turned the radio back on, keeping his eyes on Raquel to see how she'd react. When Alberto's voice came out, she pressed her lips together and she held on tightly to his hand. As he saw her fight to maintain control of herself, Sergio felt a deep, burning sense of anger at the voice on the radio rise up in him – this man had hurt her, had hurt the woman he loved and she was still bearing the scars of that. His anger grew stronger as he saw how pale she became, as he felt her start to shake just a little, but he kept it contained, showing not even a glimpse of it to her as he softly said:

"It's okay. He can't hurt you."

"I know", she breathed. "I know."

She was clearly struggling, but to his relief, she showed no signs of breaking down this time. After a few minutes, though, he turned the radio back off.

"That's enough for now."

She relaxed, and he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her as she curled up against his chest.

"That was so brave of you", he murmured against her hair. "I'm proud of you."

She simply nestled herself closer to him, and they stayed sitting like that for a little while. Then she said softly:

"Remember when I had that panic attack back at the house, because Berlin reminded me of Alberto?"

"Yes, I do."

She looked up at him. "You were so sweet to me then, too. Calming me down, staying with me, even though it was hard for you. You even hugged me."

He smiled at the memory. "That was the first time I got to hold you. It was the best feeling in the world."

"Really?" she smiled. "I thought maybe it made you uncomfortable."

"No", he murmured. "I never wanted to let you go again. And now I never have to."

She stroked his cheek, and he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers in a tender kiss. They kept kissing for several long moments, soft, sweet kisses as he held her close. After a while, he said:

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course", she said, and he was glad to hear that she sounded completely normal again.

"Your ex-husband… how did he frame you, exactly? I know he planted drugs at your house that came from an evidence room at the police station, but how did he get those drugs?"

She got off his lap and sat back down in her own chair.

"Well", she said, "I can only tell you what was found during the investigation."

"What I'm wondering", he said, "is this: aren't there video cameras in evidence rooms? Wouldn't they have caught him stealing the drugs?"

She shook her head. "The cameras were hacked into from an outside source and the relevant material was deleted."

"What outside source?"

"Some hacker Alberto paid, probably. They were never able to track him down."

"But if there was no footage of you taking the drugs, how come everyone was so ready to believe you did it?"

"Ah", she said. "You see, you need a badge to open the door to the evidence room, so every entry is scanned and registered into the system. Alberto stole my badge and used it to open the door."

Sergio frowned. "Did people really believe you were stupid enough to use your own badge to open the evidence room with the intention of stealing something? Wasn't that a huge red flag?"

"No", she sighed sadly. "Because that's where he got really clever. He got the same outside hacker to erase the scan of my badge from the system, only he erased it _badly_, so the trace of it could still be uncovered with a little bit of work. That way, it looked like I'd entered the evidence room and tried to cover it up."

"Oh", Sergio said. "Yes, that would make you look very guilty."

"It did", she said drily.

He felt his anger flicker up again, stronger this time. This man had hurt her in so many ways, had done so many awful things to her, and yet he was out there, living his life as usual. It wasn't fair that he should have to bear no consequences whatsoever for his actions. No, it wasn't fair at all. He wished with all his might that he could do something about it, that he could somehow make it right for her.

She rubbed her face, then said: "Alright, we should turn the radio back on."

He nodded. "But you should go eat with Elena, stay away from here for a bit. Now you know that you don't have to avoid the desk if you don't want to, but I will still be the one actually listening to the transmission from now on, until Alberto leaves."

She shot him a look. "Thank you."

He smiled. "Of course."

She leaned in to kiss him, then got up and rolled Elena's chair towards the table. She bound her ankles to the chair first, then untied her hands so she could eat.

"So", Elena said, as Raquel sat down across from her. "That's how he framed you, huh?"

"You heard that?"

"Well, it's not like I was _trying _to overhear you, but I don't exactly have a choice in the matter." She shook her head. "That was clever of him. I always wondered how he did it."

Raquel looked up sharply. "You mean… you believe me?"

Elena nodded. "Yes. I never believed you were guilty."

"Why?" Raquel said, baffled. "Even my closest colleagues thought I did it, and you barely knew me."

"I didn't know _you_", Elena said darkly, "but I knew _him_."

"You knew Alberto?"

Elena sighed. "Yes. We used to work together."

"I didn't know you used to work in our district", Raquel said, surprised.

"I did. It was my first posting after I got out of the Academy. Almost fifteen years ago now."

Something in Elena's tone and expression made Raquel give her a closer look.

"Did you know Alberto well?"

"Not… not really."

There was something there, though – Raquel could feel it.

"Did you date him?"

"No, I told you I don't do relationships."

"Did you sleep with him, then?"

Elena shook her head. "No, but he did ask me out."

"Oh", Raquel said. "And?"

"I said no. He didn't like that."

"I'm sure he didn't."

Elena's voice was full of disdain as she continued: "Men who hit their wives often have very fragile egos. So he wouldn't let it go. He kept asking, over and over again, until I dreaded having to go down to forensics."

Yes, Raquel thought, that was Alberto. Never taking no for an answer.

She shook her head. "He shouldn't have pressured you like that, especially since you were still so young."

Elena seemed to hesitate, and Raquel frowned.

"That's not the whole story, is it?"

Elena took a deep breath, then said:

"One day, I went down to forensics and he was the only one there. He… he immediately started asking me out again, and he was very charming at first."

"I'm sure he was", Raquel said, feeling a twinge of unease.

"But when I kept refusing, he became a lot less pleasant. He was saying I wasn't being fair to him, I should at least give him a _chance_. He was sure he could change my mind. He kept… he kept coming closer to me and I kept backing away until I had my back against the wall."

Raquel's unease deepened as Elena paused for a moment. Then she went on:

"I tried to get away, but… but he pushed me against the wall." Elena was frowning now, clearly struggling with the memory. "I was a police woman, Raquel. I'd just gone through training. I thought I could defend myself. But he was police too, and… and I couldn't get away. He was so much stronger than me. It was… the most awful feeling of helplessness."

Raquel nodded – yes, she knew that feeling, _god_, she could still feel it in her bones.

Elena looked up. "And then he kissed me."

Raquel's feeling of unease turned into dread. She'd gotten to know Elena a little over the past few days, and she had a feeling of what had happened next.

"What did you do?" she whispered.

Elena lifted her chin. "I punched him in the stomach, of course."

Raquel closed her eyes. Fighting back was the worst thing she could have done – Raquel knew that all too well.

"And then?"

"He hit me. Right across the face."

Raquel felt nauseous – she knew what came after that first slap. But then Elena said:

"And then a colleague walked in." She shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know what would have happened otherwise."

Raquel nodded, relief flooding through her. "He could have really hurt you."

Elena looked up at her, and there was a glint of steel in her dark eyes.

"Oh no", she said coolly, "I meant what would have happened to _him_. I had my hand on my gun when old Martínez walked in. I would have fucking kneecapped him if he so much as _moved _in my direction again."

Raquel had no doubt that she would have.

"So what happened then?"

"I got out of there as fast as I could. I got into my car and drove – I had to get away from there. It wasn't until I pulled up in front of my house that I realized I should have gone straight to the office to report him. I knew I should drive back. I knew I should go to my boss and make an official statement."

"But you didn't", Raquel said softly.

Elena pressed her lips together and shook her head. "I didn't."

"You thought they wouldn't believe you."

Elena nodded. "It was a classic he-said she-said. By then, the handprint on my face had already faded, so I had no evidence. I wasn't shaking, I wasn't in shock, and I _knew _I wouldn't be able to cry when telling the story – in short, I was completely unbelievable as a victim. Martínez, on the other hand, wasn't much of a witness: all he'd seen was me reaching for my gun. And I knew what happened to 'difficult' women on the force. Whether you're believed or not – you get shifted to the side, always overlooked for promotions. I had ambition. I wanted to reach the top someday. So I asked for a transfer and I kept my mouth shut."

She shot Raquel a guilty look, but Raquel shook her head. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Elena. I know all the consequences women face in that position."

"I told myself he'd just been angry because I'd punched him – I told myself he'd never actually hurt someone under normal circumstances. But he did. He hurt you."

Raquel was experiencing a lot of conflicting emotions. "And you've been feeling guilty about that?"

"That's… that's part of it, yes."

"There's more?"

Elena sighed. "Don't you realize, Raquel? When you were tried for drug possession, you tried to tell people Alberto had framed you. You told the judge about the domestic abuse. If he'd believed you, that would have been a major discrediting factor for Alberto. But the judge didn't believe you. Why not?"

Raquel suddenly felt cold. "Because he had no priors."

"Exactly", Elena said bitterly. "If there had been any previously reported instances of violence on his part – even just one – it's quite likely that the judge would have believed you about the domestic abuse. That would have spoken to Alberto's character, and suddenly you accusing him of framing you wouldn't have seemed so far-fetched anymore."

She took a deep breath and when she looked up at Raquel, there was something almost pleading in her eyes.

"I thought about testifying at your trial, Raquel. I really did. But who would have believed me? It was fifteen years ago, and I never reported it. I… I thought it wouldn't make a difference. I never thought they'd convict you and… and I was still afraid it would impact my career." She bent her head. "I'm so sorry. I should have at least tried. When I heard they'd actually convicted you… nine years… I… I felt terrible."

Something suddenly dawned on Raquel.

"Oh. So _that's_ why you offered to help me when you found me here."

"Yes", Elena said quietly. "I know nothing can make up for what I did… or rather, didn't do. But I thought if I could help you, that was the least I could do."

Raquel considered her for a long moment, processing what she'd just heard. Then she said:

"First things first: I don't blame you for not reporting him."

"But if I'd reported him, that would have gone on his record and you might never have married him."

"It doesn't matter", Raquel said softly. "I can't blame you for being scared they wouldn't believe you. I can't blame you for not wanting to ruin your career. I can't blame you for not foreseeing that he would go on to beat his wife all those years later. And I certainly can't blame you for not reporting him, when it took me a year and a half to do it myself."

"I still should have testified for you", Elena whispered.

"Well", Raquel said. "About that. Really, I need to thank you."

Elena looked up. "What do you mean?"

"If you'd testified, that might indeed have swayed the judge, and then I wouldn't have been convicted. Then I wouldn't have been sent to jail."

She suddenly smiled. "Then I wouldn't have met Sergio."

Elena looked at her in disbelief. "You're not saying…"

"Yes, I am. Being sentenced to jail is one of the best things that ever happened to me. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."

Elena was shaking her head. "Seriously? For _him_?"

"He's the love of my life", Raquel said simply. "Every part of my life, everything I've been through, has brought me to the people I love. My marriage brought me my daughter, and my conviction brought me to Sergio. I have no regrets. And you shouldn't either."

Elena gave her a careful look. "What are you saying?"

Raquel paused, then said: "I forgive you."

"Are you serious?" Elena whispered.

"Yes", Raquel nodded. "When you're a woman in this world, there are moments when you're forced to make impossible choices. In hindsight, it's easy to see what the better path would have been, but how could you have known it at the time? So I forgive you. I do." She gave Elena a closer look. "And I give you permission to forgive yourself."

Elena lifted her head, and it looked like a heavy burden was falling off her shoulders.

"Thank you", she said, and there was just the slightest tremble in her voice. "Thank you for saying that."

Raquel regarded her for a moment, then she smiled.

"I'm sorry we never got to know each other sooner, Elena. Before all of this mess."

Elena smiled back, a genuine, warm smile. "Yes. Yes, I would have liked that."

Raquel hesitated, but she couldn't resist trying where Sergio had failed.

"Why don't you come over to our side, Elena? You know we're not bad people. Help us get away safely, and we'll give you a cut of the money."

Elena grinned. "Nice try, Raquel, but I still don't agree with what you're doing now. I regret that we're on opposite sides of this, but that doesn't change the fact that we _are _on opposite sides."

Raquel laughed as she got up from the table. "Fair enough. I have to admire your moral backbone."

Elena looked up at her earnestly. "Once I arrest you, though, I'll help you as much as I can."

Raquel chuckled as she kneeled to tie Elena's hands again. "That's very optimistic of you, because it doesn't look to me like you're arresting anyone soon."

…

Several hours later, Elena came out of a daze of boredom to realize that there was some sort of commotion around the tunnel. White male, late twenties, dark hair, she noted automatically as a new figure emerged from the tunnel. Then the newcomer heaved something out of the hole in the ground and Elena's eyes went wide. It was a large roll of bills, all fifties, tightly compressed. They were starting to move their money.

"No", she heard Sergio say to Raquel, "we won't load it until the last day."

"Why not?"

He glanced over at her.

"Because once we bring in our… means of transportation, we'll have to blindfold Elena so she doesn't see it. I'd prefer it if we didn't have to keep her blindfolded for another four days."

Thanks, Elena thought. All things considered, he wasn't the worst psychopath she'd ever met. No, that honor went to the next person coming through the tunnel with another roll of money. Berlin grinned and waved at her, and she gave him her dirtiest look. Jesus, she'd never met anyone who rubbed her up the wrong way _this much_.

"Alright", Raquel said. "I suppose we can load all of it in a few hours, so we can do that the last day. Where will we stock it all in the meantime? It's going to take up a lot of space."

Sergio gestured towards the corner of the hangar behind Elena. "Berlin? Let's put it over there."

Berlin sauntered over to her with a grin. "Let's get you out of the way, princess."

She felt a strong urge to back away from him, but unfortunately her options were rather limited in that regard – even though her ankles weren't tied, her wrists were tightly bound behind her back and attached to the chair.

"Don't touch me", she warned him sharply.

He took hold of the back of the chair and rolled it towards the chain link fence that separated the different parts of the hangar. He put her in front of it, then came around and crouched down in front of her. She tried to fight down her disgust as he put a hand on her knee and grinned up at her.

"Don't touch me", she repeated in a low voice, but he didn't remove his hand.

"I have a proposition for you", he said. "Why don't you come with me when we leave? We'll buy a tropical island somewhere, just the two of us."

"God", she said, wrinkling her nose. "That sounds absolutely _horrifying_. Now take your hands off me."

"Just imagine it, Inspector… Spending our days underneath the palm trees."

"I hope a coconut falls on your head. Now _take your hand off my knee_."

"Or what?" he grinned, not moving his hand.

She regarded him for a moment, then braced herself and kicked him sharply on the shin.

He jumped up, inhaling sharply, but then immediately recovered and laughed.

"You're feisty. I like that."

This time, he crouched down next to her so she couldn't kick him again, and he put his hand on her elbow, smiling. She was bound so tightly that she couldn't shake him off, and she was getting _really _fed up with him.

"Go _away_, Berlin."

"I stand by my proposal. Just think it over."

He reached up a hand and slowly brushed an escaped lock of hair behind her ear, a gesture so creepy it made her shudder. Okay, that was it. She'd had enough.

She sharply turned her head. "I'm not the first woman you made that proposal to though, am I?"

He froze.

"Yes", she continued. "I talked to that poor girl when she came out. I know what you did to her."

His smile had faded now. "Our relationship was consensual."

"Really?" Elena scoffed. "I suppose that's why she was crying and shaking when she told me about it."

She leaned closer to him, as much as her ropes would allow.

"Is that the kind of man you are? Forcing yourself on women who can't escape? Does it get you off that they have no choice?"

She could see that he was getting angry, but she wasn't scared of him. She continued:

"And then you delude yourself into thinking she actually _likes _you. So let me make one thing very clear Berlin: I don't like you. You _disgust_ me. You're a sadist and an egomaniac and a rapist. You take advantage of those who are weaker than you and you call that honor."

She pulled back to give him a look full of disdain. "But you have no honor. You're a bastard and a coward."

He jumped up, took her by the shoulders and slammed her backwards against the fence. She gasped as a sharp piece of wire cut her hand, but she gritted her teeth so he wouldn't notice as she looked up at him and said acidly:

"Is this how you're disproving my point, huh? I take it back now, you're _quite_ the gentleman."

The next moment, Raquel was there, pulling Berlin off of her.

"Berlin, I told you to leave her _alone_!"

He immediately slipped back into his usual charming persona, his self-control back in place.

"We were just talking, Lisbon", he said smoothly.

"That's not what it looked like", Raquel said angrily.

"Don't worry", Berlin grinned. "I think she likes it rough."

Raquel gave him a look of outrage, then said: "You know Berlin, you shouldn't be allowed to interact with women at all."

"Oh", Berlin said, giving Elena a cool look. "She's not a woman. She's a cat."

"Why don't you go make yourself useful instead of insulting our prisoner?" Raquel said heatedly.

He shot Elena one last, long look, then walked away. Raquel kneeled down in front of her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes", she said with dignity. "I'm fine."

"I won't let him come near you again."

"I'd appreciate that, yes."

It wasn't until Raquel walked away that she realized there was blood trickling down her hand. She opened her mouth to call Raquel back, but then she froze. She was still pressed up against the fence from when Berlin had slammed her into it, and now she started exploring the wire links with trembling fingers. _Yes_, there it was, the sharp piece that had cut her. She remained motionless for a while, observing the people walking back and forth, but they were busy moving the money and they weren't paying her any attention. Slowly, carefully, she positioned her wrists so her ropes were pressed against the sharp piece of wire, then she started making tiny back and forth movements so the wire started cutting into the rope. There was almost no chance that this would actually work, but it was a chance anyway, a _chance_. It would take forever, but if they left her here long enough, Elena thought, assuming a bored expression as behind her back she kept grazing her rope past the piece of wire again and again… it just might work.

…

Raquel was looking at the pile of rolled-up bills in the corner of the hangar with a feeling of deep satisfaction. It was all coming together now.

"Are you sure you don't want some of this?" she called out to Elena, who was sitting a little further along the fence.

"Quite", Elena said shortly.

Raquel shrugged and turned back to the money. This was only the first part, there would be much more to come, but it was late and the tired team was returning to the Mint to sleep.

"I'm going with them for a moment", Sergio said, walking over to her. "I need to talk to Berlin."

"Alright", she said. "Can you ask Nairobi if she wants to come over for an hour or so? I'd like some company when you go to bed."

"Sure", he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind so they could look at the money together. "It's really happening, Raquel. Soon we'll be out of here."

Yes, she thought. Soon this would finally be over and their new life would begin. It was so close now, so close she could almost taste it. She turned around in his arms and tilted up her face to kiss him.

"Thank you for being here", he whispered. "I couldn't have done this without you. We're a team, you and me."

"Yes", she murmured back. "You and me. _Always _you and me."

He gave her one more kiss, then he let go of her and followed Denver down the ladder.

Raquel sauntered over to the screens, but there was nothing interesting to see there. She flipped through the channels for a minute or two, then got up again and walked towards their sleeping area with the vague thought that she wanted to wash.

When she passed Elena, she suddenly said:

"Raquel?"

"Yes?" she said, stopping in front of Elena's chair.

Elena was looking at her with a strange mixture of regret and determination.

"Once I get out of here… _run_, okay?"

Raquel frowned. "What?"

Suddenly Elena jumped up, her hands loose somehow, and in a flash, she'd grabbed Raquel's gun from the waistband of her jeans. Instinctively, Raquel grabbed at it, and for a moment, they struggled over the gun, both trying to get a firm grip on it.

"Raquel, don't!" Elena yelled, but it was too late.

Raquel's fingers slipped and hit the trigger, and the gun went off with an ear-splitting _bang_.

Time slowed down. There was a hot, burning pain in her shoulder as she staggered backwards, then fell to her knees, dazed, her ears ringing. She looked down and there was blood – a lot of blood – too much blood. She slumped sideways to the ground and as the edges of her vision went blurry, she realized vaguely that she was going into shock. The last thing she saw was Elena running for the door. Then there was only darkness.


	36. Raquel

_Fuck_, Elena thought as she ran for the door. _Fuck, fuck, fuck! _ This shouldn't have happened! She'd never meant to hurt Raquel, she'd just wanted to get out. _Shoulder wound, non-fatal_. She'd hoped Raquel would be able to run before she got back with backup, but that wouldn't be happening now. _Back to the tent, ten minutes at a run. _She just hoped Sergio would get back soon. _Ambulance, twenty minutes. _She reached the door and threw one last look over her shoulder back at Raquel, who was lying on the ground with blood pooling underneath her. A _lot _of blood. Too much blood. She shouldn't be bleeding this much from a shot to the shoulder. _The subclavian artery_, it flashed through Elena's mind. But it _couldn't _be, the subclavian was almost impossible to hit, safely hidden beneath the collarbone. Elena put her hand on the door handle, torn. She was so close to freedom, but the blood, the _blood_…

Fuck it, she _had _to check on Raquel, just to make sure the subclavian wasn't hit. She ran back into the hangar and kneeled by Raquel's side, her pants instantly soaked with blood. God, _so much blood_. She carefully pushed Raquel onto her back, and immediately realized from the way the blood was pumping out in bursts from a hole just underneath her collarbone that the bullet had indeed hit an artery. _Subclavian artery, exsanguination time 4 minutes. _If she left now, Raquel would bleed to death long before she could get back with an ambulance. Swearing loudly, Elena got up and ran to the sleeping area of the hangar, where she grabbed one of Sergio's clean shirts and returned with it to press it to the wound. She couldn'tjust let her die, she _couldn't_.

With one hand, she pressed the shirt firmly against Raquel's chest, while patting her cheek with the other.

"Raquel", she said urgently. "_Raquel!"_

There was no response, and Elena pressed her fingers to Raquel's throat right underneath the line of her jaw. Yes, thank god, there was still a pulse. She tried again, patting her cheek, leaving bloody fingerprints on her face.

"Raquel, _please!"_

Raquel's eyelids flickered, and Elena felt an immense rush of relief.

"Stay with me!" she said. "Stay with me, okay?"

"Sergio", Raquel whispered.

"He'll be right here", Elena said, hoping fervently that it was true. "He'll be _right here_, don't worry."

The shirt in her hands was already soaked and red, but at least the blood seeping from underneath it had slowed down to a trickle. Every second seemed like an eternity to Elena. _Sergio, where are you? _Raquel's eyes closed again, and this time Elena couldn't wake her. She felt a wave of nausea. She'd already failed this woman twice – would the third time be fatal?

Finally, she heard voices, and looked up to see two people emerge from the tunnel. They saw Raquel and froze.

"Call an ambulance!" Elena yelled. "Quickly!"

Sergio suddenly seemed to make sense of the situation and he ran to them, falling to his knees beside Raquel.

"No", he whispered, his eyes wide with horror. "No, no, _please _no, Raquel!"

"She's alive", Elena said, "but just barely. _Call an ambulance!"_

He was still staring at Raquel, seeming paralyzed with shock, so Elena lifted a hand and hit him sharply on the cheek.

"Snap out of it, Sergio, she needs you!"

He blinked, then took out his phone with trembling hands.

"An ambulance will take twenty-one minutes to get here and take her to the hospital", he said, his voice shaking. "I have a doctor on standby."

"Well tell him to _hurry._"

Sergio was holding the phone to his ear. "Mikael? Man down, come immediately."

He threw the phone aside and turned back to Raquel. Elena firmly took his hand and put it on the blood-soaked shirt.

"Put pressure here, and don't let up until the doctor gets here, do you understand?"

He took over from her, not taking his eyes off of Raquel's face, and Elena felt a rush of hope that she might get out after all. She quickly got up, but as she turned around, she was looking right into the barrel of Nairobi's gun.

"I don't think so", Nairobi said angrily. "You're not going anywhere."

…

Blood was pounding in Sergio's ears and he was living his worst nightmare. _Don't die_, was the only thought in his head. _Don't leave me. I'll do anything, just don't die_. Her face so pale, except for the red smudges on her cheek, her eyes closed, her body limp, his hands red with her blood. _God_, so much blood, _so much_, how was she still alive? _Don't die, _he thought frantically, barely noticing the tears streaming down his cheeks. _Please, my love. Please. _He was only vaguely aware of Nairobi stopping Elena from leaving – honestly, he didn't care, he didn't care about _anything _right now except for keeping her alive. He couldn't wrap his head around how this had happened – they'd been talking about their future mere minutes ago, and now he felt like the world was crashing down around him. _Don't die_, he kept repeating over and over in his mind. _Don't die, Raquel. I'll give up everything, anything, anything at all if you just stay with me. Stay with me my love, my love. Who would I be without you?_

Rationally, he knew it only took the doctor a few minutes to get to the hangar, but he felt like he'd aged a lifetime by the time he heard the knock on the door and Nairobi ran to open it. The doctor rushed in, took one look at the blood pooling around Raquel and ordered Nairobi to help him prepare a space to operate. Then, the three of them carefully lifted Raquel off the ground and onto the operating table.

"She's lost too much blood", the doctor said. "If I operate on her now, she won't make it. Do you have bags of blood with her blood type?"

"No", Sergio whispered, wondering why, _why _they weren't prepared for this. He realized with a stab of panic that he didn't even know her blood type – _how _had he never asked her that?

"Then she has to go to the hospital", the doctor said urgently. "She _needs _blood."

Something suddenly hit Sergio.

"Take mine", he said.

"Excuse me?"

"Take my blood", he repeated. "I'm O negative, the universal donor. No matter what blood type she has, she can have my blood."

"Salva", the doctor said, "she's going to need a _lot _of it."

"I don't care", he said, rolling up his sleeve. "Take however much she needs."

The doctor nodded and started taking out the necessary materials and disinfectant. Sergio kept his eyes on Raquel's face as the needle entered his vein and the blood started flowing to her. _Hold on_, he thought. _Hold on, my love._

"I'll take as little as I safely can", the doctor said.

"You'll do no such thing", Sergio snapped. "You keep going until she's safe."

"You might faint", the doctor warned him.

"I don't care if I _die_", he said angrily. "You don't stop under any circumstances."

"Alright", the doctor said, shaking his head. "I don't have time to argue."

As the doctor prepared to start operating, Sergio kept his eyes on Raquel's pale face, _willing _her to live, wishing his blood would flow faster, wishing he could do _more _to keep her alive. The doctor removed the blood-soaked shirt and examined the wound.

"How bad is it?" Sergio asked in a whisper.

"The bullet entered just below the collarbone, with an upward trajectory", the doctor murmured, bent over Raquel. "Passed straight through the muscle of her shoulder and out the back. The lung wasn't punctured, no broken bones."

Sergio breathed a sigh of relief. That was something, at least.

"Looks like it just nicked the subclavian artery in passing, it's not completely severed", the doctor continued. "I should be able to operate successfully."

Raquel was given a general anesthetic and Nairobi acted as the doctor's assistant, handing him his instruments and wiping away the blood that was still streaming from the wound. After a while, Sergio started feeling dizzy, but he didn't say anything. It didn't matter – the only thing that mattered was that she stayed alive – she _had _to stay alive. He felt like he was balancing on the edge of an abyss, yawning vast and black and bottomless beneath him, ready to swallow him whole if she… if she… _Please don't die, Raquel, don't leave me. Without you, I am lost. Without you, I am nothing. _

A little while later, black spots started appearing in his vision, and he started swaying slightly.

"He's going to faint", Nairobi said sharply.

"I'll remove the needle", the doctor said, but Sergio pushed his hand away.

"Has she had enough?"

The doctor hesitated, and Sergio shook his head.

"Then you're not removing anything."

The doctor turned to Nairobi. "What's your blood type?"

"O positive", she said.

"That's not an option if we don't know her blood type. What about your… uhm… guest?"

Nairobi hurried over to Elena to ask her, but she came back shaking her head.

"Also O positive."

Sergio put a steadying hand on the table. "I can keep going for a bit longer."

"At least sit down", Nairobi said.

"He can't", the doctor said. "He has to be at a higher level than she is or the blood won't flow."

"Then I'll stand", he said firmly. "Keep going."

"Salva…"

"Keep going, Mikael", he said sharply. "I'm not your patient."

The doctor nodded and turned back to Raquel, and Sergio took deep breaths, fighting to stay conscious minute after minute. _Hold on, my love. Hold on. _The world narrowed down to just her face, and it was the last thing he saw before he felt his knees give way and everything went black.

…

He woke up with a pillow under his head and someone tapping him sharply on the cheek.

"Wake up", he heard a voice.

God, he felt weak. Even just opening his eyes was an effort. He managed it anyway, to see Nairobi's face above him, frowning.

"Well that was stupid of you."

"Raquel", he whispered. "Is she…?"

"She's fine", Nairobi said, and he felt such a heady rush of relief that it almost made him pass out again.

"Hey!" Nairobi said, tapping his cheek again. "Stay with us, Profe."

"Is she… is she really fine?" he managed.

"Yes, I swear. The doctor said she's out of danger. _You _on the other hand, are an idiot. Why didn't you say stop?"

"I don't matter", he murmured.

"You kind of _do, _though. How do you think she'd have felt if she woke up only to find you dead 'cause you pumped all of your blood into _her_ and we didn't have any to pump back into _you_?"

He shifted and felt a pulling sensation in his elbow. He glanced down to see an IV stuck into his arm.

"We had to get fluids back into you", Nairobi explained. "You should feel better in a bit."

He nodded. "Help me up, Nairobi."

"Yeah, that's not happening."

"I need to see her."

"Profe, you're going to faint again straight away."

"I'm fine", he said, trying to sit up, but she effortlessly pushed him back down.

"Nairobi!"

"Shut up and stay down."

He tried again, but the result was the same, except now she raised a threatening finger.

"If you don't stay down, I'm going to sit on you! We have to wait until this IV bag is empty."

He kept his eyes on the bag as it dripped into his veins ever so slowly. He _had _to see her, he had to touch her and make sure, make _absolutely sure _that she was still alive. The wait was agony. Finally, _finally, _the last drop disappeared down the tube and he immediately pulled the needle out of his arm, wincing slightly. Nairobi took him by the elbow and helped him sit up. His vision went black around the edges, and he had to put his head between his knees for a moment to keep from fainting again.

"Yes", Nairobi said drily. "I see how fine you are. About to dance the samba, aren't you? Wait here."

She got him a glass of water, and after he drank it, he felt slightly better and his vision cleared.

"Alright", he nodded, and she pulled him up.

He swayed a little and leaned heavily on her as she helped him across the room to the bed, where a motionless figure was lying between the sheets. He fell to his knees beside her and touched her cheek, her skin reassuringly warm beneath his fingers.

"I'll go get you a chair", Nairobi said, but he barely heard her. He was dizzy and nauseous and weak, but he didn't feel any of it as he kept drinking in the sight of her, watching her chest move up and down slightly as she breathed. _She's alive, _he kept repeating to himself. _She's alive, she's alive._ He didn't notice the tears streaming down his face. _She's alive._

…

**Day 8**

"Profe, you need to sleep."

"No."

"Then eat something, at least."

"No thank you."

"You lost a lot of blood too, you have to eat."

"Go away Nairobi."

"This won't help her, you know."

Sergio didn't reply to that. He didn't care. He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, not while she was lying in bed, unconscious, unresponsive, two IVs dripping fluids and morphine and antibiotics into her veins. The doctor had said she was out of danger, but he couldn't quite believe it, and he didn't take his eyes off of her for even a second. He held her hand in his and kept two fingers on her wrist at all times to feel her heartbeat. The rhythm of her pulse was the single most important thing in the world.

Nairobi went away, and he had a vague sense of time passing and people moving in and out of the tunnel. He supposed they were keeping the operation running, but he couldn't bloody care. It could all go to hell as far as he was concerned. He heard them talking amongst themselves, arranging things, all of it just a blur of sound in the background, until suddenly something jumped out at him.

"How did this happen?" he heard Tokyo ask. "How did the cop even get here?"

"I think the Professor was meeting with her", Nairobi answered. "And she followed him here."

Nairobi's words struck him like a knife. Yes – yes, it was true, Elena was here only because he'd brought her here. None of this would have happened if he hadn't led her to the hangar in the first place – if he hadn't met with her – if he'd listened to Raquel. She'd warned him, over and over and over again, and he'd refused to listen, and now she was lying here. _After all_, Elena had said, _this is my fault._ Except it wasn't. It was _his_, and his alone. _He_ was the one to blame. Raquel's words echoed in his head: _She's a challenge and you simply can't resist that_. It was true. He didn't _have _to contact Elena, but he hadn't seen the risk, blinded by his belief in his own cleverness. And then when she'd gotten to the hangar, he still hadn't taken her seriously, he still hadn't seen her as a threat. He heard Raquel again: _Don't trust her too much, Sergio. She's dangerous. _He hadn't believed it, not _really_. He thought he had things under control. He'd treated her as a guest.

He'd let his guard down around her, even though he _knew _Raquel was worried. He'd been the one to insist they didn't blindfold her. He'd been the last one to tie her hands – he must have tied her too loosely, careless because he trusted her, enabling her to get free. And then he'd left Raquel alone with her, not thinking for a moment that it might be dangerous. He realized now that he should have sent Elena away right from the start, to the backup location maybe, have her guarded by the Serbians. But on some level – he felt his stomach churn as he realized it – he'd _liked _having her here, he'd _liked _talking to her, and now… now… He looked down at Raquel's pale face on the pillow, and his heart was breaking. The doctor had said there might be nerve damage – she might never be able to use her left arm again, and if not for his stupidity, for his arrogance, she would be fine, she would be _fine_. So he sat on a chair beside her and he didn't sleep, he didn't eat, because the only thing that mattered was that he would be there when she woke up.

As sunlight started streaming through the windows, she finally stirred, and his heart started racing as he scooted closer to the bed.

"Sergio?" she said in a hoarse whisper, and he had to fight back tears.

"Yes", he said, his voice breaking as he gently squeezed her hand. "Yes, my love, I'm here, I'm right here."

She opened dazed eyes and looked around.

"What happened?"

"You got hurt", he said softly. "You got hurt, but you'll be alright now."

"I got hurt?"

"Yes", he said.

"I don't feel… anything…"

"That's the pain killers."

Her eyes suddenly opened wider and she tried to sit up. "Elena! She… she got away!"

"No", he soothed her, gently pushing her back down. "No, we got her, it's okay."

She went soft with relief, her eyes already half closing again as the after-effects of the anesthetic dragged her back under.

"Good", she said.

"Everything's under control", he murmured. "Sleep, my love, you need it."

"Yes", she sighed, her thumb stroking his hand. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course I will", he said with determination. "I won't leave your side."

"Thank you", she whispered, her eyes closing. "I love you so much."

Silent tears ran down his cheeks as he watched her go back to sleep. He vaguely realized the blood loss was making him more emotional than usual, but the realization didn't make him feel any less awful. He didn't deserve her love. His arrogance, his stubbornness had brought them here, had caused a bullet to go right through her, tearing flesh and veins and sinew on the way, maybe damaging her arm permanently. She had warned him, and he hadn't listened, and how could he ever make that up to her? The guilt of it pierced him like a shard of glass, its razor-sharp edges cutting into his chest. _He _should have been the one to be hit by that bullet, and he would gladly have taken it for her, if only it were possible. There was a sick feeling in his stomach as he realized that, at some point, she would wake up again and realize that all of this was his fault. He buried his head in his hands. How could she ever forgive him?

…

When she next woke up, a few hours later, she seemed a little more clear-headed. She opened her eyes and gave him a weak smile, and he leaned forward eagerly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired", she said. "And a little dizzy."

"That's the morphine. Do you feel any pain?"

"Not that much. How much morphine am I on?"

He hesitated. "A bit."

She looked down and lightly touched her bandaged shoulder.

"How bad is it?"

"Not that bad, all things considered. The bullet went straight through your shoulder, but it didn't hit your lung or any bones. Can you… can you move your fingers?"

She looked down at her left hand and focused, then, very slowly, bent and unbent her fingers, and he felt dizzy with relief.

"Good", he said. "That means there's no serious nerve damage."

"Alright", she whispered. "I'm glad."

He got her a glass of water, then carefully helped her to sit up. She leaned heavily against the pillows, her eyes seeming even darker than usual in her pale face, and he felt such a stab of tenderness in his chest. She looked so small, so fragile. He just wanted to wrap her in his arms and protect her from harm, the way he _should _have protected her, the way he _would _protect her from now on. She was too weak to even hold the glass to her lips, so he helped her drink, then eyed her bandages critically.

"I think it's time to change them."

She nodded silently, regarding him with soft eyes as he carefully removed the bandages from her shoulder. When the last layer fell away, he inhaled sharply. The incision from the operation was neatly stitched, but around it, her entire shoulder and part of her chest was covered in vivid blue and purple bruises. On top of that, the skin around the place where the bullet had entered was burned a bright, angry red, because she'd been shot at such close range. She looked down and grimaced.

"That looks awful. I'm glad I can't feel most of it."

He got out the necessary materials, then started cleaning the area around the wound with infinite care, trying to keep his hands from trembling as he touched her. A terrible weight was settling on his shoulders, pushing him down, down, down, pressing on his lungs until he could barely breathe. He had done this to her. Her beautiful body, which he loved so much, which he knew better than he knew his own, was cut and bruised and burnt as a direct consequence of his actions, and he didn't know how to live with that. If regret could heal, her skin would instantly be smooth again, her bruises gone, her body strong again, but he knew his regret was useless to her. Still, he felt so guilty that it was suffocating him.

She was regarding him attentively, her head leaning against the pillows. After a while, she said softly:

"What's the matter?"

He swallowed hard.

"Raquel", he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, _so _sorry."

"It's okay", she said quietly.

"How can you say that?" he said, trying not to cry. "Look what I've done to you."

"You didn't do anything to me."

"Not… not _directly_, but this is still my fault."

"Sergio", she said, "it was an accident."

"That wouldn't have happened if Elena hadn't been here, because of _me_. Because I didn't listen to you!"

She shook her head. "I forgave you for that."

"You shouldn't have! Look what happened!"

She thought about it for a moment, then said: "Sergio, when I forgave you for bringing her here, that meant I also accepted any possible consequences."

"But not this…"

"_Including _this. I don't blame you, Sergio."

"The morphine is affecting your thoughts", he said, his throat tight. Why wasn't she yelling at him? Why wasn't she angry?

At that point, Nairobi approached them.

"Is she…" She saw Raquel and rushed to the bed, smiling broadly. "You're awake!"

"Hi Nairobi", Raquel smiled back.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. Are you managing things?"

"Yes, me and Berlin have everything under control. Don't worry about the operation."

Nairobi glanced sideways at Sergio.

"Lisbon, can you talk some sense into this idiot, please?"

"Nairobi", Sergio said warningly, but she continued:

"He gave you a lot of blood and he hasn't eaten or slept since."

Raquel's eyes were so soft when she looked at him, and she gently touched his hand.

"My love… why?"

"I wanted to be here when you woke up."

"You could still eat, though", Nairobi said, and he turned to frown at her.

"Could you leave us, please?"

"Fine", she said with dignity. "But you drowning in self-pity won't un-shoot her."

Nairobi left, and Sergio turned back to see Raquel look at him with a soft smile.

"You gave me your blood?"

"I did", he mumbled. "It's not a big deal."

She looked at him dreamily. "That means you're a part of me now. Forever."

"Actually", he said. "All of your blood cells die and are replaced within…"

She chuckled softly. "Stop talking. You're a part of me now."

"Alright", he said, smiling down at her. "I'm a part of you."

She turned serious again. "Why haven't you eaten?"

His smile faded. "I couldn't."

"You shouldn't punish yourself."

He looked down at his hands. "I deserve it."

She didn't say anything, and when he looked back up at her, he saw tears on her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" he said, panicking. "Are you in pain?"

"No", she said, wiping away her tears with her good hand. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid emotional instability is a side effect of getting shot."

"Of course", he said, calming down a little. "Can I… can I do anything?"

"Yes", she sniffed. "Eat something."

He stared at her. "Are you crying _for me_?"

"You have to take care of yourself!"

"But I…"

More tears were rolling down her cheeks, and he quickly amended: "Alright, alright, I'll eat!"

"And sleep?"

"And… and sleep, yes, I'll do anything, just… just don't cry. _Please._"

She gave him a watery smile. "Thank you."

He looked at her, at a loss for words. How, _how _was she worried about _him _right now? He couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Raquel", he finally managed, a tremor in his voice. "You're way too good for me."

She softly tugged on his sleeve. "Come here."

He carefully sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and she stroked his hand.

"You saved my life, didn't you?"

"I wouldn't have _had _to save your life if I hadn't…" he started, but she shook her head.

"Stop talking", she said again. "You saved my life. That's enough to make up for any mistakes you made."

He looked at her. She was the most amazing woman in the world, and the thought that he'd almost lost her took his breath away. She squeezed his hand.

"I want a kiss", she murmured, the dreamy look back in her eyes. He _knew _it was the morphine, but he couldn't help but love the expression on her face as she looked at him, even though he knew fully well that he didn't deserve it. He reached out his hand and cupped her cheek, then leaned forward to brush his lips against hers with infinite tenderness. She leaned her forehead against his and whispered:

"I love you."

He was fighting back tears again. "Why?"

She smiled. "You're a part of me."

She kissed him again, then said: "But I'm very tired."

"You should sleep", he said quickly, getting up and helping her to lie down again.

"Promise me you'll eat and sleep", she murmured, her eyes closing.

"I promise", he said firmly.

Once she was asleep, he sat down to look at her. Her words had soothed the crushing feeling of guilt in his chest a little, just enough to lift the nausea he'd been feeling. He finally ate the sandwich Nairobi had given him hours ago, looking thoughtfully at Raquel's sleeping face as he did so. He wished he could do something to make this up to her somehow. He knew he could never undo what had happened, but wasn't there anything he could do for her? Suddenly, an idea struck him. Yes – _yes_ – he wasn't sure if it would work, but he could at least try. He got up and walked towards the desk.

Nairobi seemed to have taken over things on this side of the operation. Thankfully, Angel and his team were still in Toledo, so there hadn't been any calls from the command center yet. Nairobi was manning the screens and keeping an eye on Elena, who was sitting next to her, her usual ropes replaced by iron chains and a padlock. Upon seeing Elena, Sergio felt such a visceral reaction of mixed emotions – anger, shame, guilt – that he had to stop and take a breath. Elena looked up and saw him.

"How is she?" she asked immediately.

"She'll be okay", he said carefully, coming closer. She saw him eyeing her chains and grimaced.

"Nairobi thought this was safer than rope."

"I'm not taking any more risks", Nairobi said drily, her eyes on the screens.

"How did you get free?" Sergio asked.

Elena nodded over at the fence, where a small pile of ropes was still lying. "There was a sharp piece of wire so I cut through my ties."

Sergio felt a rush of relief. That meant it hadn't been his own fault.

"And what… what happened exactly? When you got free?"

"I waited until you were all gone", she said. "Then I managed to get hold of Raquel's gun. There was a struggle, and it went off."

"You didn't shoot her?"

"No", Elena said emphatically. "No, I would never. I never meant to hurt her. It was an accident."

He felt his anger at her lessen slightly. Then Nairobi said:

"You shouldn't stand here talking, Profe, you should _sleep._"

"I will", he said. "In a minute. I just need to do something first."

"What?"

"Call the Mint", he asked her. "Ask Rio to come over. I want to talk to him."

…

**Day 9**

She woke up in the early morning, feeling weak and slightly dizzy, but more alert than yesterday. She turned her head on her pillow and smiled as she saw Sergio, asleep on the floor next to her. Thank god he was keeping his promise, she didn't have the strength to fight him right now. The morphine made her drift in and out of sleep throughout the morning, and usually he was by her side, helping her sit up to drink and eat small quantities of food, and very carefully gathering her up in his arms to carry her to the bathroom. Between naps, she noticed that he was often at the desk, sometimes on the phone with Angel, who had returned from Toledo, and often talking to Rio, who seemed to have taken over the screens. When she asked him about it, he told her Rio was working on something, but it was nothing she should worry about.

Around noon, she'd had enough of feeling dizzy and tired all the time, so she asked him to reduce the dose of morphine she was getting.

He hesitated. "Are you sure? It will hurt."

"Just for a few hours", she said. "I want to be able to think straight again."

He fiddled with her IV.

"It will take a few hours before the effects wear off, though. You should try to get some more sleep until then."

When she woke up again two hours later, there was a throbbing ache in her shoulder, and she groaned as she opened her eyes. He was immediately at her side.

"Are you okay? Should I turn up the morphine again?"

"No", she said, gritting her teeth as he helped her sit up against the pillows. "I finally feel like my head isn't full of cotton wool anymore. I can deal with the pain for a few hours if I get some clarity in return."

"Alright", he said apprehensively. "But not too long."

She took a deep breath. "Tell me again what the bullet did, I only half remember what you told me yesterday."

He told her, and she frowned.

"If the bullet hit my artery, then how did I survive? Did you get back right after I got hit?"

"No", he admitted, explaining how Elena had turned back to stop her from bleeding out.

She was silent for a while, considering this, then said:

"I want to talk to her."

"What?" he said, alarmed. "No, no way!"

"I want to talk to her, Sergio."

"She's not coming anywhere near you ever again!"

"Sergio", she said sternly. "She saved my life. I want to talk to her."

"If she hadn't caused you to get shot in the first place, she wouldn't have had to save your life!"

"But she didn't actually shoot me, _I _was the one to grab at that gun."

"Still. You need to rest."

"Then don't make me argue", she reasoned. "And just go get her."

He grumbled a bit more, then got up and returned a minute later with Elena, whose hands were chained behind her back.

Elena gave her a tentative look. "How are you, Raquel?"

In a flash, Raquel was back there, Elena's voice ringing in her ears. _Raquel, don't!_ Her body shuddered as the bullet hit her all over again, blazing its way through her shoulder, making her stagger, fall to her knees. _The burning… the blood… the darkness…_

"Raquel!"

_The blood… the blood…_

"Raquel!"

She felt like she was surfacing from water as she took a deep breath and snapped back to the present, looking into Sergio's worried eyes as he was holding her face.

"Raquel, what's wrong?"

"I… I felt…"

"It's trauma", Elena said from where she was standing in the middle of the room. "PTSD. I've seen it before in shooting victims."

Elena's voice… _Raquel, don't! _The bullet ripping through her, _the burning, the blood…_

"Why _now?" _Sergio asked.

"I'm triggering the memory", Elena said. "I should go."

Raquel firmly shook her head in an attempt to push away the crowding memories.

"No, let her stay."

"She's causing you distress, Raquel, I'm going to take her back to…"

She took his wrist as he was getting off the bed.

"Sergio. Let her stay."

He sat back down, taking her hand and leaning in close to her.

"My love, you're not strong yet, don't put yourself through this."

"I want to talk to her."

"Why?"

She cast around for the words. "Because… because I feel like… if I don't deal with this now, I might be stuck with it later. What's the next thing that will trigger the memory? Loud noises? The sight of a gun? It… it has to lose its power, somehow. Let me talk to her."

He hesitated. "Will you tell me the second it gets too much?"

"I will."

"Alright then…"

He moved to the foot of the bed, keeping his hand on her knee, and motioned for Elena to come sit on the chair next to the bed. She sat down carefully.

"How are you feeling, Raquel?"

_Raquel, don't! _A deafening bang echoed in her ears, her nostrils filled with the smell of gunpowder, _the pain, the blood…_

"This isn't good for her!" Sergio said urgently.

"Wait!" Elena said. "Wait…"

_Her shoulder burning, burning, burning… _

"Raquel", Elena said calmly. "You're experiencing a flashback. It's only a memory. It's in the past, and you survived it."

_Blood pouring down her chest. _Her chest felt tight, painfully tight.

"Breathe", Elena said. "You're not breathing. Deep breath in. Deep breath out."

She gasped in a breath and the tight feeling lessened immediately.

"That's it. Now let's get you back here. Look down, what's the color of your blanket? Do you feel the bed beneath you? Do you hear Nairobi talking to Rio? Do you smell… well, the damp of this place?"

The burning sensation in her shoulder receded as she focused on her senses, anchoring herself in the present again.

"Go sit next to her", she heard Elena say to Sergio. "Make her feel protected."

The next moment, he was beside her, and she leaned against him with her good side and put her head on his shoulder. He couldn't wrap his arm around her shoulders, so he carefully wrapped it around her waist.

"I'm here", he murmured gently. "You're safe. You're safe."

She closed her eyes and relaxed against him.

"Better?" Elena asked.

"Yes", she sighed. "Much better."

"That was very brave of you", Sergio said softly, turning his head and kissing her hair.

"Yes", Elena agreed. "Now, can you look at me?"

Raquel opened her eyes and looked at Elena, noticing that she was wearing some of her own clothes. She realized Elena's clothes probably got covered in blood...

_The blood… the blood…_

"Keep breathing, my love", Sergio reminded her in a whisper, and she pulled herself back from the memory with an effort.

"I'm sorry about what happened", Elena said softly. "I never meant for you to get hurt."

_Raquel, once I get out of here… run, okay?_

"You told me to run", Raquel said quietly.

Elena looked a little embarrassed. "Yes, I did."

Raquel gave her a weak smile. "I thought you were going to arrest me?"

"Well", Elena said, squaring her shoulders. "I am. Maybe just… not right now."

Raquel chuckled softly, then tried to pull herself together. Sergio's arm tightened around her waist, and she drew strength from that. She took a deep breath and said:

"Who's taking care of you, Elena?"

"Nairobi."

"Have you eaten? Have you slept?"

"Yes, I have", Elena said. "Raquel, you shouldn't worry about me. In fact, you should be angry at me. Why aren't you angry?"

_Stay with me! Stay with me, okay?_

"You saved my life", Raquel said quietly. "You could have run, but you didn't."

"You thought I'd just let you _die?_"

_The darkness, pulling her under… _But she looked up into Elena's eyes, so calm, so earnest. _I never meant for you to get hurt. _The darkness receded.

"You could have", Raquel said. "We're on opposite sides, after all. Saving me cost you your freedom, and an arrest like that would have made your career."

"My career will be fine", Elena said drily. "It isn't worth your life."

Elena hadn't actually hurt her. It had been an accident. Accidents happened.

Raquel turned her face to breathe in Sergio's smell. Then she turned back to Elena and lifted one corner of her mouth. "I'm sorry I thwarted your escape."

Elena heaved a dramatic sigh. "It's fine. I suppose I'll just have to resign myself to the fact that you'll get away with his." She hesitated, then said: "I'm… I'm just glad you're okay."

Raquel regarded her for a moment, then said: "You're a good person, Elena."

Elena shook her head. "Anyone would have done the same."

"No", Raquel said. "You know that's not true."

Elena looked away, embarrassed. Beside her, Sergio bent his head closer to hers.

"How are the flashbacks?"

"Gone", she said, sighing with relief.

"Good", Elena said. "Do you want to try the next step?"

"Yes", Raquel said.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Elena said.

"You don't have to", Sergio said immediately, but Elena frowned at him.

"Let her try."

"Yes", Raquel said firmly. "You took my gun and I grabbed at it. My… my fingers hit the trigger. It… went off and… I got hit."

It felt good to say the words, and she felt herself detach from the memory as she was speaking about it.

"Good", Elena said. "And then?"

"You ran", Raquel said. "But then you came back and you saved my life. And now here we are."

"Yes", Elena said. "Here we are."

The two women looked at each other, and for a moment, Raquel saw Elena with the gun overlap with Elena sitting in front of her, but then the image faded. It was just a memory. It couldn't hurt her anymore.

"How are you feeling?" Sergio murmured beside her.

She took a deep breath and lifted her head. "I'm okay."

"Yes", Elena nodded with a slight smile. "You're going to be fine."

…

**Day 10**

By the next day, Raquel was well enough for the IV to be removed from her arm so she could start taking a lower dose of morphine orally. Her shoulder hurt, of course, but the pain was manageable, and she spent the morning upright in bed. Sergio was constantly at her side, asking her if she needed anything, bringing her food and water and medication as needed. She could see that he still felt guilty, but she thought it would fade over time, so she let it be. After breakfast, she decided she was strong enough to walk to the bathroom by herself, so Sergio supported her as she got out of bed, swaying just a little, and he carefully held her arm, ready to catch her if she should fall as she crossed the hangar on weak legs. Around mid-morning, he told her he had to leave for a few hours, but he wouldn't tell her where he was going. When she got upset, he quickly sat down and took her hand.

"I just don't know how it will turn out. I'll tell you later, when I'm more sure of the outcome. I promise it's nothing dangerous, though, I _promise._ You don't have to worry."

She wiped a tear from her cheek. "Okay."

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes", she said firmly, wiping away another tear. "I just wish every little thing didn't make me cry."

"That's normal", he said gently. "You've been through a terrible ordeal, it's going to take you a while to recover in every way."

"Yes", she nodded. "You're right."

While he was gone, Elena held her company, and they had a good time talking about the cases they'd worked on. When Sergio returned a few hours later, they were enthusiastically comparing war stories, and they continued talking as he joined them around the bed. Raquel noticed that Sergio looked rather subdued, so after a while, she asked him to take Elena back to the other side of the hangar. It took him a while to return, and she could hear him talking softly to Elena, but she couldn't understand what they were saying. It made her a little uneasy, but she decided not to ask him about it as he returned.

"So where have you been?" she asked him as he sat back down next to the bed.

"I'm not sure you should know yet."

"Just tell me", she prompted him. "If something's going wrong with the operation, I want to know."

"No, it has nothing to do with the operation."

She smiled. "Is it a surprise?"

He hesitated. "Of sorts."

She was really curious now. "Come on, tell me."

"I'm just not sure yet how it will turn out."

"You know", she teased him. "You shouldn't dangle a secret in front of me like that. I'm very hurt, I'm sure this kind of excitement isn't good for me."

He didn't smile as he sat down next to the bed. "You're right. I'll tell you if you want to know."

Her smile faded. "I was just teasing you. What's wrong?"

He gave her a look she couldn't interpret.

"Do you miss it?"

"Do I miss what?"

"Your job. You… you seemed really happy when you were talking to Elena about it."

"Well", she said slowly, "it was stressful and difficult and it took me away from Paula too often for my liking, but… yes, I do miss it."

He nodded. "I thought so."

"Why are you asking?"

He hesitated, then just shook his head, and she let it go.

…

That evening, as they sat talking, he seemed nervous and preoccupied. He kept checking his phone, until finally he nodded.

"I think we should watch the news", he said.

"The news?" she said, mystified. "Why?"

"You'll see", he said, and turned his phone so they could watch it.

On the screen, a news anchor was visible, looking into the camera.

"New evidence has come to light in the high-profile case of ex-Inspector Raquel Murillo of the Madrid police, who was convicted six months ago of corruption and kidnapped on her way to prison."

Raquel's eyebrows went up. What the hell?

The anchor continued: "In a bizarre turn of events, Alberto Vicuña, Murillo's ex-husband, was arrested today for stealing evidence and planting it in the house of his ex-wife."

On the screen, images were shown of Alberto, in handcuffs, being led to a police car.

"If convicted, Vicuña faces up to ten years in prison."

Raquel could only stare at the screen in disbelief. This couldn't be true. She must be dreaming. She looked up at Sergio to see him give her a slight smile.

"You… did you do this?" she whispered.

"Yes", he said.

"But… but _how_?"

"You told me the cameras in the evidence room were hacked by an outside source that couldn't be traced. I got Rio to investigate, and it turned out that _actually_, the cameras were hacked into from within the police IT department. We followed the trace to a guy named Mario, and this morning I paid Mario a visit, together with some of my associates. Turns out your ex-husband gave him a big bribe, but he still had the original footage of Alberto taking those drugs from the evidence room, and he was willing to hand it over… for a price, of course."

Raquel was listening to him with wide eyes.

"I turned the evidence in to the police. I'm glad to see they acted on it so quickly."

"I can't believe you did that", she said quietly.

A hard look appeared in his eyes. "He hurt you, Raquel. I wasn't about to let him get away with that if I could help it."

She blinked away the tears which were still right at the surface, ready to overflow at the least provocation. Alberto… arrested. Going to trial. Probably going to prison. Justice. She still couldn't believe it. Justice, and it was all thanks to Sergio. She looked up to thank him, only to see him looking at her with a very strange expression.

"What?" she said.

He hesitated, then seemed to steel himself and said softly:

"You know what this means, Raquel?"

"What?"

"It means… it means you'll be cleared of all charges. Your conviction will be repealed, your prison sentence will disappear. You'll be a free woman again."

She laughed. "Except I've committed about a million _actual _crimes in the meantime."

He remained entirely serious. "Nobody knows that, though, except for Elena. I talked to her, and she's agreed not to reveal your part in this operation. She'll testify that you were held here as a prisoner."

Raquel felt herself go cold.

"Sergio… what are you saying?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm offering you a way out. You don't have to live this life anymore, always hiding, always running the risk of getting caught. You… you can return to your old life, to your house, your family, your friends. Your job. You would have a normal life again. You would be safe."

Her lips were trembling. "Are you serious?"

He looked down at his hands. "Yes."

"But… but I love you."

He kept looking down. "Look what happened to you, Raquel. You'd be safer without me. If you stay with me, you'll always be a fugitive, you'll always be in danger. So… so you're free to go if you want to."

Her insecurities suddenly rose up again in full force, and this time she didn't have the emotional strength to push them away. She had to ask him.

"Do you _want _me to go back to my old life?"

He looked up sharply. "What? No, of course not!"

"You can tell me if you do", she said, her voice shaking. "I don't want you to feel _obligated _just because we said we would…"

"What are you talking about?" he said, looking completely lost.

"I'd understand if you'd prefer to be alone again, or… or with someone else?"

He looked at her in horror. "_Why _would you think that?"

Suddenly her eyes spilled over and tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"We're so different, Sergio. What if we start a life together and you get bored of me?"

He was staring at her. "That's… that's _absurd_, Raquel."

"Wouldn't you be happier with someone who's more like you? Someone… someone like Elena?"

He couldn't look more astonished. "_Elena?"_

"You love talking to her", she whispered.

"Wait", he said, shaking his head in confusion. "_Wait_, you think I'd prefer _Elena over you?_"

"Maybe not right now…" she said. "But… but in the long term."

"No!" he said vehemently. "Not now, not _ever_, Raquel, how could you _think _that?"

"You're so similar. She challenges you."

"You challenge me too!" he said, leaning forward and taking her hand. "You're so smart and fierce and amazing. But more importantly, you _complete _me. You're kind and sweet and generous and loving. With Elena, I can only be the Professor – intellectual and satisfying in a way, yes, but also arrogant, stubborn, and cold. She… she brings out the _worst_ in me. But _you", _he said softly, looking into her eyes. "You make me a better man. With you I can be… I can be Sergio, and for the first time in my life, I _want _to be. You… you made me find myself, Raquel. You made me feel truly alive for the first time."

"I'm just afraid I might not be enough for you", she whispered. "I'm afraid one day you'll leave me."

He looked at her for a long moment, seeming at a loss for words. Then he said softly:

"I've had a lot of time to think while you were asleep, Raquel. And… and almost losing you _made _me think. About how important you are in my life. About how much you mean to me."

He hesitated. "I'm… I'm not really good with words. I don't know… how to talk about what I feel." Then he squared his shoulders. "But I want to try. Because… because you deserve to hear it. From what you're telling me now, you clearly don't know how I feel about you. You almost _died_ not knowing, and that's not right."

She looked at him with wide eyes, wondering what was coming. He took a deep breath and looked up at her with such an earnest look in his eyes.

"I'm not sure I can really explain how I feel, Raquel. It's… inexpressible. What words could possibly be enough? How can I tell you what I feel when I look at you? When you touch me? When you smile at me? And most of all: how can I say what I feel when… when you tell me that you love me? That you still love me, in spite of my flaws, in spite of my faults, in spite of everything. Raquel, I've… I've let you down, I've disappointed you, I've hurt you in every possible way, and yet you're still here. What can I say to that? How can I tell you how grateful I am for every second with you? How proud I am to call you mine? How much I want to be a better man, to be worthy of you, of your love? I can't… I can't _say_ it, but that doesn't mean I don't _feel_ it. Because I do. I feel it _so much._ You know, I… I don't deserve you. I'll never deserve you. But I want to try, every day of my life, to get a little closer to deserving you. "

She felt a warm glow in her chest at his words, but he wasn't done.

"You know you're my first love. I never understood it before. I didn't understand how one person could become so important to someone. But I understand it now, because… because you are my… my best friend and… and my family and also my partner and the love of my life, and… and so much more."

He shook his head. "So if you think that I would ever leave you… that I _could _ever leave you, you don't understand what you are to me. Raquel", he said softly, "you are everything to me. _Everything_. My love, my soul, my life. You are… the very _heart _of me. How could I live without my heart?"

There were tears on her cheeks again, but for an entirely different reason now. He reached out a hand and gently wiped them away.

"I'm a part of you now, right?" he murmured.

"Yes", she whispered.

"Well, you're a part of me too. The most important part, the _best _part. The part I can't live without. For… for a moment I thought I'd lose you, and it was unbearable."

"Then why did you offer to let me go back to my old life?"

He gazed at her earnestly. "Because your happiness is the most important thing to me. I don't matter, as long as you would be happy."

"I could never be happy without you", she whispered.

"Then _what_ _in the world_", he murmured back at her, "makes you think I could be happy without _you_?"

She pulled him onto the bed with her, shifting over to make room for him, and he lay down beside her and cradled her carefully in his arms. She pressed her face against his chest, and it felt so good to be held by him, so good to finally be sure about their future together, that she couldn't stop crying. He let her, gently stroking her hair and murmuring sweet things to her until she felt like her heart would burst.

"I'm so sorry, Raquel", he whispered. "I'm sorry for not listening to you when you warned me about Elena. I'm sorry for making you feel like you weren't enough. I'm sorry for not seeing how you felt. And I'm so, so sorry that it took you getting shot for me to tell you how much you really mean to me."

Her tears were finally stopping, and she sighed deeply as she relaxed against him.

"Can you forgive me?"

"Yes", she whispered.

"Then I'm the luckiest man in the world."

She looked up to smile at him, and he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers in the softest kiss. He did it again, and again, and again, his kisses so sweet she wished he would never stop. Then he tenderly kissed her cheeks, her forehead, and the very tip of her nose. Finally he brushed his lips against her closed eyelids, kissing the last of her tears away. They leaned their foreheads together and lay in silence for a while, just breathing each other in.

She opened her eyes to look at him.

"You and me?" she murmured.

He gazed back at her with the softest look.

"Of course", he said. "_Of course_, my love. You and me. Always."

He gently pulled her closer, his arms wrapped around her, and she felt so soft and warm and happy. He made her feel so treasured. He made her feel so safe. He held her like he would never let her go again, and she cuddled up to him and finally allowed herself to believe in forever.


	37. Escape

**Day 11**

When she woke up, his arms were still wrapped around her, and she felt so much better than she had in days. Her shoulder ached terribly, and she knew it was time for another dose of pain killers, but she felt strong and clear-headed as she opened her eyes. He was still sleeping soundly, and she didn't stir as she gazed at him, a warm feeling in her chest as she thought about the things he'd said last night. She wanted to let him sleep a bit longer, but _damn it_, he looked so cute and she loved him so much… she just couldn't resist. She shifted closer and softly kissed his cheek.

He opened sleepy eyes and smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning, my love."

He blinked a few times and seemed to wake up a little more.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better", she said.

"Good", he murmured. "We have a busy day ahead of us."

"Right", she said, a bright, tingling feeling of joy spreading through her at the thought. "Our last day. In a few hours, we'll be out of here."

"Yes", he said. "By tonight, we'll be on board a ship with Paula and 2.4 billion euros, sailing far away from here."

"To our island", she whispered.

He nodded. "To our island."

"I can't wait to take walks on the beach."

"Hmm", he murmured, nuzzling her cheek. "And I can't wait to kiss you on that beach."

She smiled. "And then lie underneath the palm trees."

"I can't wait to kiss you underneath the palm trees either."

"And go swimming in the ocean."

"I don't really like swimming", he said. "But I'll kiss you in the ocean too."

Her smile widened. "You seem to be planning on a lot of kissing."

"Oh, I am", he said seriously. "I plan on kissing you every moment of the day, every day, for the rest of my life."

She looked at him, delighted. "That's a lot of kisses."

"Millions", he murmured. "Millions and millions, and I look forward to every single one of them."

"How about we start now, then?" she whispered, tilting her face up to bring her lips close to his.

"That", he said, "is an _excellent _idea."

He bent his head and kissed her, gently, sweetly, and she hummed with contentment as she melted against him. How she loved those first kisses in the morning, still soft with sleep, creating a little bubble just for the two of them, before the concerns of the day started intruding on their peace. But then he hugged her closer and she winced involuntarily at the pain in her shoulder, and he immediately released her.

"I'm so sorry", he said.

"It's okay", she said, unwilling to stop kissing him, but he gave her a concerned look and sat up.

"I'll go get you some breakfast so you can take your pain killers."

"Alright", she sighed regretfully. "I suppose we should get started on our day."

…

By the time breakfast was over and he'd taken care of her shoulder, the excitement of their last day was really taking hold of everyone. He told her to stay in bed, but she couldn't anymore – people were constantly moving through the tunnel now, bringing over rolls of money and talking excitedly about leaving. It was time to bring in the truck and start loading the money, so Raquel went over to Elena.

"How are you today, Raquel?"

"I'm feeling much better."

"I'm glad to hear that." Elena looked around. "Looks like you're leaving today?"

"Yes, we are."

Elena cleared her throat. "So… what's going to happen to me? Are you taking me with you as a hostage?"

"No", Raquel said. "We're leaving you here."

Elena's eyes widened in alarm, so Raquel quickly clarified:

"Just for a few hours! We'll call the command center and tell them where they can pick you up once we're far enough away."

Elena nodded, relieved. "Alright."

"But now I do have to blindfold you, so you don't see how we're going to get away."

"I understand."

"I'll stay here and talk to you, I can't lift anything yet anyway."

"Thank you", Elena said. "I appreciate that."

Raquel blindfolded her, and the beer truck was driven into the hangar. They divided the work: Nairobi returned to the Mint to oversee the last of the printing; Berlin, Tokyo and Rio were guarding the hostages; Oslo and Helsinki kept going back and forth through the tunnel with the money, and Moscow and Denver were putting the rolls of money into barrels and loading them into the truck, while Monica had been put behind the desk to watch the screens and listen to Angel's bug. Sergio was overseeing everything, regularly going back and forth between the hangar and the Mint. Raquel watched it all with a feeling of suppressed excitement as she sat beside Elena and they talked.

"I can't believe you lasted an entire ten days", Elena said.

"We had a good plan. Sergio's strategies were sound."

"Yes, they were."

"But I don't think we'd have lasted this long if you had stayed on the case. It's a good thing we caught you."

"Well", Elena said drily. "Technically _I _caught _you_. It just didn't last very long."

Raquel smiled, her eyes on Sergio, who looked very sexy as he was directing things. He went down the ladder and disappeared into the tunnel.

"So where are you going after this?" Elena asked lightly.

Raquel opened her mouth to answer automatically, then she stopped and grinned. "Oh, that was sneaky of you! I almost told you."

Elena chuckled. "It was worth a shot."

"Lisbon!" Monica suddenly called out from behind the desk. "I think something's happening!"

Raquel quickly got up and hurried over to her.

"What's wrong?"

"They're arguing", Monica said, turning up the volume of the radio.

"… been in there for ten days now, it's enough!" they heard the voice of Colonel Prieto say. "We have to go in!"

"But the hostages might get hurt!" Angel protested.

"We can't let this drag on indefinitely, Rubio. It's time for action!"

"We can't risk…"

"Rubio, you will enter that building _now_, or I will personally make sure you get fired!"

There was a silence, and Raquel felt every muscle in her body tense as she waited. This couldn't be happening, not now, not mere _hours _before they were leaving! Then, to her utter dismay, Angel said:

"Suarez! We're going in."

Raquel cursed loudly and immediately went into action. She knew the police team to enter the Mint would already stand prepared, ready to go at a moment's notice, so their own team had mere _minutes_ to get out.

"They're coming!" she shouted at Denver and Moscow, who started moving faster to get all the barrels in the truck.

Raquel picked up the phone and called the Mint, keeping an eye on the screens, her heart racing. There was nobody in the breakroom, and nobody came as the phone rang. With the tunnel open, manning the phone had become less of a priority, and everyone was clearly busy elsewhere. She swore with frustration, then she remembered that they'd asked several members of the team to wear the headsets they had used during the first day: Berlin inside the Mint, and Helsinki going back and forth through the tunnel. She quickly put on her own headset.

"Berlin?" she said urgently. "Helsinki? Can you hear me?"

The only answer was static, however, and she cursed heatedly. The police must be using a frequency jammer to keep them from communicating with each other, which meant that there was no way to reach the team electronically.

Through the radio, she heard Angel go outside, where Suarez was giving last instructions to his team. _Ten minutes_, Raquel estimated, and the people in the Mint entirely unsuspecting. _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

"Denver!" she yelled. "Go through the tunnel and tell everyone to get out! Now!"

Denver dropped what he was doing and raced towards the entrance of the tunnel. Next to Raquel, Monica stood up anxiously.

"I'm sorry for sending him into danger", Raquel said. "But he's faster than Moscow."

She kept the phone ringing, still hoping desperately that someone would hear it and pick up. It would take Denver about ten minutes to get through the tunnel, by which time the police would be at the door. Through the camera images, she saw Sergio talking to Nairobi, completely oblivious, and her heart was beating frantically. _Get out, my love, get out!_ She pushed a few buttons to access the cameras on the outside of the Mint, and she saw several black vehicles approach, each loaded with armed men. She was close to panicking now, her eyes wide as she watched the police come closer, and she was fervently hoping, _praying, _that Denver would get there in time.

"Oh no", Monica was whispering beside her, her eyes on the screens too. "Oh no, oh no, oh no…"

The vehicles stopped at the building and men in black armored suits got out, each armed to the teeth, and the women watched on in horror as they put up explosives against the door of the loading bay. On the other screen, Sergio was still talking to Nairobi, and Raquel had to use all of her restraint not to yell at the screen that he had to get out, run, _run!_

"Look!" Monica said suddenly, pointing at one of the images, where Denver could be seen racing through the building, bumping into Oslo and Helsinki along the way and pointing them towards the tunnel. Raquel followed his progress with bated breath, until he reached Nairobi and Sergio, and started gesturing urgently. She was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, when the door to the loading bay exploded inward and the police started streaming through.

_Get out, Sergio, get out! _was the only thing she could think, blood pounding in her ears as she saw Denver, Nairobi and Sergio start to run. The static in her headset suddenly cleared, and she realized that the police had turned off their frequency jammer so they could communicate with their own people.

"Berlin!" she shouted, and on the camera in the museum, she could see him look up.

"Yes, Lisbon?"

"The police are in! Leave the hostages and get to the tunnel, _now_!"

"Understood!" he said, then she heard him shout orders to Tokyo and Rio, and a moment later, she saw on the camera that they started running towards the exit. Raquel watched everyone move from image to image, her nails biting into her palms as she saw the police march through the loading bay and into the hallways. _Faster_, she thought at the running figures. _They're almost there, hurry!_

It was essential that the team got into the tunnel with a head start, because if the police were too close behind them, people would be killed when they blew it up, policemen and team members alike. _Not _blowing up the tunnel, on the other hand, would mean that armed men would be streaming out of it right behind the team and there would be a shoot-out in the hangar. Raquel desperately hoped that she wouldn't have to make that choice.

Meanwhile, Oslo and Helsinki were coming out of the tunnel, and immediately started helping Moscow with the loading of the truck. Sergio, Nairobi and Denver had disappeared from view – there were no cameras near the vault where the tunnel was. Meanwhile Berlin, Tokyo and Rio were still running, the police very close on their heels. They would only just make it, Raquel realized with an icy feeling. The police were too close. She would have to blow up the tunnel while there were still people inside of it. She knew they wouldn't survive.

A horrible, horrible thought suddenly struck her. She knew Sergio, she knew him so well – he would stay, wouldn't he, until he'd seen the last person of his team to safety? Wouldn't he be the last person through that tunnel, the police right behind him? _No_, she thought desperately, _no, Sergio, please!_ She felt herself go numb – for several long moments, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't move – but then she shook her head and lifted her chin. She knew she would never be able to push that button while he was still inside the tunnel. If that meant letting the police in, so be it – they would make their last stand together. _You and me_, she thought. _Always. _

By now, both the team and the police had disappeared from view and all they could do was wait, and it was agony. Raquel wanted nothing more than to jump down into that tunnel herself to go find him, but she knew that was completely irrational, so she stayed beside Monica, who took her hand and held it tight.

"It will be alright", Raquel whispered, trying to convince herself as much as Monica. "It will be alright."

Suddenly, Denver's head appeared at the entrance to the tunnel, and Monica ran to him, Raquel close behind her. Then Nairobi came through, and for several seconds, Raquel stared at the entrance to the tunnel, seeing her worst fear realized – he'd stayed behind.

"Is he… is he…" she whispered to Nairobi, but then suddenly there he was, and she clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. He was safe, he was _safe_, he hadn't sacrificed himself. He clambered out of the hole and straightened up, and she threw her arm around his neck and held him tight, fighting back tears.

"Thank god", she whispered. "Thank god."

"It's okay", he said, breathless from hurrying through the tunnel. "I'm alright. Is everybody here?"

"No", she said, "Berlin, Tokyo and Rio are still in there."

"What?" he said, horrified. "I thought they were ahead of us!"

"No", she said quietly. "They're not. They were a few minutes behind you, and the police were right behind _them_. Sergio… Sergio, we have to blow up the tunnel."

He ran towards the desk and put on his own headset.

"Berlin!" Sergio said urgently. "Berlin, where are you?"

Berlin answered immediately. "Don't blow up the tunnel yet! Rio and Tokyo are coming through!"

"What about you?" Sergio said.

At that point, gun shots could be heard through the headset, and Raquel and Sergio looked at each other in horror.

"Berlin, what about you?" Sergio repeated frantically.

"I'm a bit busy at the moment."

There were more gunshots, and Raquel clapped a hand to her mouth.

"He's keeping them off", she whispered. "So Tokyo and Rio can get through."

Sergio started shaking his head. "Enter the tunnel, Berlin!"

"Negative!" came Berlin's voice.

"Andrés", Sergio said urgently, "we're going to blow up the tunnel, you _have _to get out of there."

"They're closing in, it's too late. Go now!"

Raquel had a sinking feeling in her stomach as more gunshots sounded through the headset. She knew what was about to happen, but Sergio couldn't accept it yet.

"I'm not leaving here without you and you know it."

"Old age isn't meant for me", Berlin said. "Can you imagine me drooling and losing control over my bowels? No, I don't have the courage for that. I prefer this."

Raquel nodded – Berlin, already dying, was choosing honor one last time. She put her hand on Sergio's arm, but he shook her off, his eyes full of tears.

"Get out, _please_", he whispered.

"Sergio!" Berlin yelled. "You promised me you'd get out if things got ugly, and they're ugly. Lisbon?"

"Yes, Berlin?"

"Are Tokyo and Rio through?"

"Yes", she said, seeing them emerge from the tunnel.

"Good! Helsinki?"

"Yes?" Helsinki said through his own headset, standing at the entrance to the tunnel to help out Tokyo and Rio.

"Blow up the tunnel."

Helsinki got the remote out of his pocket, and Sergio raised his hand at him.

"No…" he said. "No…"

"Helsinki, this is an order!" Berlin shouted. "Soldier, blow up the tunnel!"

"Helsinki, no!" Sergio yelled, running at him. "No, don't!"

Helsinki caught him at the entrance to the tunnel, and they struggled.

"I love you, little brother", Berlin's voice came through the headset, and Raquel's throat felt tight. "Don't you forget it."

"Helsinki, let me go!" Sergio shouted, trying to get to the tunnel.

"Raquel?" Berlin said.

"Yes", she whispered.

"Take care of him."

She squared her shoulders so she could give him a firm answer: "I will. Goodbye, Berlin."

"Andrés, _please!_" Sergio sobbed, and Raquel's heart was breaking for him.

"I've always been a bit of an asshole", Berlin said. "But today… I think I feel like dying with dignity."

Raquel took off her headset so she wouldn't have to hear the shots taking Berlin down. Helsinki, still struggling with Sergio, finally managed to push the button, and the tunnel blew up, spraying sand and dust everywhere as Sergio went limp in Helsinki's arms. He lowered him carefully to the ground as his knees gave way, and Raquel hurried over to them, falling to her knees to put a hand on Sergio's arm. The moment he felt her presence, he turned to her and held her tight, sobbing, burying his face against her shoulder. She held him tight in return, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, and gently stroked the back of his neck.

"I'm so sorry, my love", she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Why?" he breathed. "_Why_?"

Suddenly, Rio and Tokyo were beside them, still breathing hard.

"He saved us", Rio said, his voice shaking. "He saved our lives."

"We would have had to blow up the tunnel with them inside it", Raquel said to Sergio. "Your brother died to prevent that. He saved them, Sergio, he didn't die in vain."

He kept crying, and as she held him, she felt a strange mix of emotions. She was sorry about Berlin, but everyone else had made it out safely, and with the tunnel blown up, the police now had no idea where they were, and she felt a heady rush of relief as well. They were almost, _almost _safe. Still…

"We have to get out of here, my love", she murmured to him. "We have to get out of the city before they close it down."

He shook his head, and she realized he was incapable of giving orders right now. She looked up to see the team gathered around them.

"Someone get him a chair."

Nairobi returned immediately with one of the desk chairs, and, together, she and Raquel helped Sergio get up and into the chair, where he sat down with his face in his hands.

Then Raquel turned around, took a deep breath and lifted her chin.

"Prepare to leave", she said firmly. "Helsinki, drive the truck outside and wait there for us. The rest of you…" She glanced over at Elena, who could still hear them. "You know what to do and where to meet us. Go!"

They immediately dispersed and started taking off their red overalls to put on the regular clothes that were prepared for them. Helsinki was ready first and drove the truck outside. The moment the door closed behind it, Raquel headed over to Elena and took off her blindfold.

"So Berlin is dead?" she asked immediately.

"Yes. He stayed behind."

Elena looked over at Sergio, who was looking at the ground with the most defeated look.

"Why is he so upset?"

"Berlin was his brother", Raquel explained quietly.

Elena wrinkled her nose. "_Seriously? _Well, I suppose you can't choose your family."

Then she looked up at Raquel. "So. I suppose you're leaving before they close the perimeter of the city?"

"Yes", Raquel nodded. She saw that Oslo and Nairobi were both dressed and ready to leave, so she called them over.

"Yes, Lisbon?"

Raquel nodded at Elena. "Untie her."

"Are you kidding?" Nairobi said, and Elena's eyebrows shot up as well.

"Just for a moment."

"Are you sure you want to risk it, after what happened?"

"We're not taking any risks", Raquel said firmly. "Oslo, please keep your gun on her."

Oslo nodded and pointed his gun at Elena. Nairobi hesitated one more moment, then walked behind Elena's chair and unlocked her chains. Elena got up slowly, looking at Raquel uncertainly.

Raquel held out her hand. "Goodbye, Elena."

Elena regarded her steadily, then she smiled her half-smile as she took Raquel's hand.

"Goodbye, Raquel."

"I'll call the police to come and pick you up as soon as I safely can."

"Don't do it too soon", Elena warned her. "Because the moment I'm free, I'm coming after you with everything I have."

Raquel grinned. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Elena glanced over at Sergio. "Tell him… tell him I'm sorry about his brother."

Raquel nodded. "I will."

Elena looked at her. "I hope you'll be happy, Raquel. You deserve it."

"Thank you", Raquel said. "You too. I'm sure you'll make an excellent Commissioner one day."

The women nodded at each other one last time, then Elena sat back down and Nairobi tied her to the chair again, and Raquel felt a small, bright fire kindling in her chest at the thought that they were finally, _finally_ getting out of here.

The members of the team left one by one through the door, while Raquel went and kneeled before Sergio's chair. She caught his face between her hands and said gently:

"My love, we have to go."

He looked at her, still dazed with shock.

"He's gone, Raquel. He's gone."

She felt so desperately sorry for him.

"I know, my darling, it's awful, but this was how he wanted it. He chose his own way out, and we need to respect that. He died with dignity, he died with honor."

"Raquel… he was my only family."

"That's not true anymore", she said softly. "We're a family now, you and me. You're not alone."

She stroked his cheek.

"I'm with you", she said. "I'm _right here _with you, my love. Always. _Always._"

Suddenly his eyes focused, and he seemed to actually see her. He lifted a hand and touched her cheek.

"Raquel", he whispered. "What would I do without you?"

"That", she said firmly, "is something you'll never have to find out."

He shook himself and nodded. She took his hand and squeezed it tightly, and that seemed to give him the strength to take a deep breath and get up. Raquel felt the fire inside her burn brighter as they turned towards the door, hand in hand, to see the last members of the team step outside. She looked at him, and he looked at her, and she saw a little bit of her own fire spark in his eyes.

"Shall we get out of here?"

"Yes please", she said. "Let's _go_."

…

To Raquel's relief, the truck got out of Madrid before the police closed off the major roads. Helsinki and Oslo would be driving the money to Portugal, but they dropped off Sergio and Raquel at the outskirts of the city, where a car was waiting for them so they could drive to Raquel's sister's house in the suburbs. Sergio hadn't said a word on the drive out of the city, and Raquel was worried that he might not be in a fit state to drive the car, but he got into the driver's seat without comment and followed Raquel's instructions on where to go. As they drove through the suburbs, Raquel's stomach started tingling with excitement at the thought that she would finally, _finally _see her daughter again. A few weeks ago, Sergio had arranged some surveillance of her sister's house, and they had noticed that on school days like today, Mariví picked up Paula from school and then they were alone in the house for a few hours before Raquel's sister came home from work. It was in that window of time that they would now go get Paula.

Sergio pulled up at the curb next to her sister's house, and Raquel looked out at it, barely able to believe it. Her daughter was in there. Only a few minutes now, and she would be in her arms. Then she turned to Sergio.

"You can stay in the car if you want", she said softly.

He shook himself. "No… no, I would like to come with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I would like to meet your mother. Unless you would prefer to go in alone?"

"Of course not", she said, placing her hand on his arm. "I would love to have you there with me."

They got out of the car together and walked towards the front door, Raquel's heart beating fast. This was why she had agreed to participate in the operation in the first place, this was the reason why she had stepped out of that prison van and into her new life – to get Paula back. And now, now it was finally happening.

She rang the doorbell, Sergio by her side, and as she looked at him, breathless, he gave her a soft smile.

The door opened, and Raquel felt such a rush of emotions as she saw her mother standing there.

"Hello mamá", she said, her throat tight as she watched the expression of utter surprise on Mariví's face.

"Raquel", she whispered, her eyes wide. "_Raquel!"_

The next moment, she was in her mother's arms and they were laughing and crying at the same time. Mariví hugged her tight, then held her at arm's length to look at her.

"Raquel, are you alright?"

"Yes, mamá, I am."

"Where have you _been_? They told us you were taken from your prison van by armed men and I… I didn't know _what _to think, I…" her voice broke. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead."

"I'm sorry I couldn't contact you to let you know I was alright", Raquel said. "We just couldn't risk it."

"So what happened?"

Raquel put a hand on Sergio's arm.

"Mamá, this is Sergio. He rescued me on my way to prison and I've been… working with him."

Sergio held out his hand to a confused Mariví, and she shook it.

"It's nice to meet you", he said warmly.

"And you too", she replied. "Uhm… what kind of work have you been doing?"

"That's a long story", Raquel said. "We really don't have time right now. We're here for Paula."

"Yes, of course", Mariví said. "Of course you want to see her, come in, come in, she's in the kitchen doing her homework."

Raquel's heart was in her throat as she followed her mother through the house, Sergio close behind her.

"Paula mi amor", Mariví said. "Look who's here for you."

And there she was, a small, brown-haired figure sitting at the kitchen table, bent over her books, and Raquel's lips started trembling at the familiar sight.

Paula looked up.

"_Mamá_!"

Raquel kneeled down and caught her daughter in her arms, feeling like her heart would burst. Oh, _oh_, how she'd longed for this moment, she'd _dreamt _of it, she'd lived towards it for six months and she ignored the pain in her shoulder as Paula wrapped her arms around her neck and held on like she would never let go again.

"Oh", Raquel murmured, pressing her daughter close. "Oh, my darling, my darling."

She turned her head and pressed kiss after kiss to her daughter's cheek and hair.

"You're back!" Paula said, her little arms tightly around Raquel.

"Of course I'm back, mi amor, of course."

"Daddy said you would never come back."

"My darling", Raquel said, "I would never, ever leave you. _Ever._"

"So you're staying?"

She gently disengaged from Paula and took her daughter's face between her hands.

"I'm definitely not leaving you again, but I can't stay here. I'm here to take you with me."

"Where are we going?"

She didn't have time to explain everything properly now, and she felt that half an explanation might do more harm than good. Better to tell a white lie now and explain things on the boat.

"We're going on a trip to a different country, far away. We'll go to the beach and go swimming in the ocean. Would you like that?"

"Yes!"

"Then let's go get the things you want to take with you."

She straightened up and Paula held on tight to her hand. Then she looked over at Sergio, who was watching them from the doorway, and she beckoned him into the room.

"Paula, sweetheart, I want you to meet someone. This is Sergio."

Sergio came forward and shyly said: "Hello Paula. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Hello, Sergio", Paula said, looking at him curiously. Then, when Raquel squeezed her hand, she remembered her manners. "It's nice to meet you too."

She was still giving Sergio that curious look she had, and Raquel felt a question coming.

"Are you and my mom dating?"

Raquel smiled at her daughter's keen sense of perception, then quickly kneeled down again.

"Yes, sweetheart, we are. In fact, we love each other very much. Sergio is coming with us on our trip. Is that okay?"

Paula gave him a considering look, then nodded. "Yes, it's okay."

"Thank you", Sergio said, clearly relieved, and Raquel gave him a delighted smile.

"Alright Paula", she said. "Let's go pack a bag for you so we can leave."

Then she turned around and saw her mother's face.

"You're leaving again?"

"Yes, mamá, we can't stay."

She saw comprehension dawn on Mariví's face as she understood that, this time, Raquel wasn't coming back. As she saw the tears in her mother's eyes, Raquel suddenly realized that this would be the last time they'd ever see each other. She'd been so focused on finally seeing her daughter again, that she hadn't thought about how this would be goodbye for her and her mother, and now that it suddenly sank in, she felt like her heart would break.

"Mamá, how are you? How is your condition?"

Mariví put on a brave smile. "I'm fine."

Raquel looked around the kitchen, noticing for the first time that there were post-its everywhere.

"Mamá… do you live here now?"

"Yes", Mariví said reluctantly. "I moved in about a month ago, when the doctor said it would be better for me not to live alone anymore."

Raquel felt her stomach sink. "I thought the doctor had said it would take _years_ before you got to that point."

There was a sadness in her mother's eyes as she shook her head. "It's an unpredictable illness. It… it suddenly got worse very fast."

"But then you need care", Raquel said, feeling more and more worried. She hadn't anticipated this. "Is Marta taking good care of you?"

Mariví hesitated, then said: "Your sister does what she can."

Raquel wasn't fooled. Her self-centered sister wasn't made to look after other people. Raquel looked at the post-its again, realizing that her mother would only get sicker from now on. How had she not thought of that before? But when she'd been sent to prison, her mother had still seemed fine… It was a shock to suddenly realize that she wasn't fine at all. Having to leave her like this made Raquel want to cry.

Sergio had been watching them, and he put a hand on her arm.

"Raquel, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yes", Mariví said firmly, holding out her hand to Paula. "We'll go pack a bag in the meantime, shall we, Paula?"

Paula clung tighter to Raquel's hand. "I want to stay with mom!"

"Go with your grandmother for just a minute, my darling", Raquel said encouragingly. "I'll be right with you."

Mariví took Paula's hand, and they left, Paula looking back at her mother. When she was alone with him, Raquel allowed her tears to spill over.

"Oh Sergio, I don't know if my mother will be okay."

"Why don't we take her with us?" he asked quietly.

She looked up sharply. "What?"

"She could come with us."

"How?"

"I have an associate in Lisbon who could get her a false passport at short notice and…" He swallowed hard. "She can take Berlin's place on the boat."

"But Sergio… are you sure about this? She's not well, she would have to live with us."

He looked down at the ground. "Family is important, Raquel. I… I don't want you to lose her sooner than you have to."

She hugged him fiercely, pressing her face against his chest.

"Thank you", she whispered. "Thank you, thank you."

"Of course, my love", he murmured, carefully wrapping his arms around her and kissing her hair.

"Mamá!" Raquel called out, and a moment later, Mariví and Paula reappeared. "Mamá, would you like to come with us?"

Mariví's face lit up. "Come… come with you? Are you sure?"

"Yes", Raquel said. "If you want to."

Her mother hesitated for only a moment, then nodded firmly. "Yes, I want to."

Raquel's heart leapt. "Then go pack some things, we don't have much time."

…

Half an hour later, they were off, Sergio driving as Raquel sat in the back seat between her mother and her daughter, feeling overwhelmed with happiness. Paula was holding on tight to her hand and talking non-stop, while her other hand was in Mariví's, who squeezed it every once in a while, smiling at her. She couldn't believe that this was real, that this was actually happening. Six months ago, she had left Madrid in handcuffs, alone, driving towards prison. Now, she was leaving with her mother and daughter and the man she loved, driving towards a life beyond her wildest dreams.

Paula wouldn't leave her side whenever they stopped for gas or bathroom breaks. After a few hours in the car, though, she'd exhausted herself talking and she fell asleep leaning against Raquel, giving Raquel a chance to talk to her mother. Mariví told her how difficult life had been with Marta and Alberto.

"And of course, only yesterday, Alberto suddenly got arrested!" Mariví said, quietly so Paula wouldn't wake up. "Some new evidence surfaced, showing that he'd been the one to steal those drugs!"

"I know", Raquel said. "It was Sergio who found that evidence."

Her mother glanced over at him. "He seems like a good man."

"He is, mamá", Raquel said warmly. "He really is. You'll like him."

Mariví leaned closer to her and whispered: "Are you very much in love?"

Raquel smiled broadly. "Yes, we really are."

"Good", her mother said with satisfaction. "That's what I like to hear."

It was almost dark when they arrived in Lisbon. Sergio made a short stop to get Mariví a passport, then they drove on towards the small harbor town where their boat was waiting for them. The rest of the gang was already there, and Mariví and Paula were introduced to the friends who would be making the journey with them. Paula looked at the boat in awe, her eyes shining at the prospect of the adventure they were embarking on, but Raquel saw that something was dawning on Mariví about the kind of 'work' she'd been doing – after all, it didn't look like they were leaving the country in the most legal way. Her mother said nothing, however, simply seeming content that she would be going with them.

Sergio shook hands with the captain, then they started loading everything on board, both the barrels filled with money, and what little luggage they had brought, and soon they were on their way to Casablanca. As the setting sun set the sky ablaze with colors, the team gathered at the railing of the ship to look out over the water. Raquel stood amongst them, feeling a stab of sorrow for Berlin, but so grateful that everyone else had made it out alive. As she watched the coastline of Europe dwindle in the distance, she realized she didn't feel any regret at all for the life she was leaving behind. She was holding her daughter's hand, her mother on Paula's other side, and Sergio was beside her, his arm around her waist. They had more than two billions euros in the hold. What more could she possibly want?

She looked up at Sergio. She knew that the joy she was feeling must be mixed with a lot of sadness for him, and she saw it in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"Hey", she whispered. "We did it."

She watched him push away his grief to smile at her.

"Yes", he whispered back. "We did it. You and me."

"You and me", she repeated.

His arm tightened around her waist.

"Raquel", he murmured. "You know how I almost didn't recruit you. In some alternate universe, I would have done this heist without you."

"I'm sure you still would have managed it."

He gazed at her steadily. "Maybe. But at what cost?"

She thought about him alone in the control room, trying to manage everything by himself and having to go out regularly. How much sooner would they have had to end the operation then? How many lives would it have cost?

"But worst of all", he said quietly, "I would have been here without you. I… I can't imagine that, Raquel. I don't _want _to imagine that."

"Me neither", she murmured back.

"I'm so happy you're here with me", he whispered.

She smiled. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

He looked at her, his eyes so warm, and she gazed back at him, her entire body humming with emotion. There was relief and gratitude and a glorious, golden feeling of joy, and, in the middle of her chest, a sense of love so bright and shining that she felt like it must be visible from the outside, she must be illuminated, she must be _glowing. _Then he bent his head and kissed her. With his lips on hers, the feeling grew so much stronger still, and she just _knew _that he felt it too, and that, standing on the deck of this ship sailing into the gathering darkness, _together _they were lighting up the night.


	38. Epilogue 1: Madrid

_Don't get excited! This isn't a 'real' chapter, I'm sorry :') Unfortunately, due to a combination of having lots of work and struggling with my mental health again, I haven't been able to finish the epilogue for Serquel. However, several people requested some more Elena, so I wrote a little separate epilogue for her :) It's very short, just over 2000 words, and it's not integral to the story, so if you're not interested in Elena, you can skip it :) The real, Serquel epilogue will be posted next week (I hope). I'm sorry if you're disappointed! On the other hand, I'm also a little relieved that I won't have to say goodbye to this story for another week :')_

_My apologies again! I hope the chapter next week can make up for the wait :)_

Elena was pacing back and forth in her living room, wishing with all her might that she could be at the station right now. It had been three days since her colleagues had gotten her out of that hangar, three days since they'd questioned her and she'd been able to contribute something useful to the investigation. Then, she'd been sent home for a week of leave to 'recover' from her 'ordeal', no matter how much she'd protested that she was fine. To cope with her 'trauma', there had been a mandatory session with a psychologist, who had asked her a lot of personal questions, all of which she'd refused to answer because she was _fine_. When he remarked that this was a mandatory session, she'd pointed out that her _attendance _might be mandatory, but her cooperation sure wasn't, and he'd written in his report that she was stubborn and difficult – which she was sure wouldn't come as a surprise to her boss – but she didn't have to come back.

Four more days… Four more days of sitting at home while the investigation was being conducted without her, four days of losing precious time while the band of robbers got further and further away from them. _She _should be running things, she was the best person for the job: she knew Sergio better than anyone, she knew the way his mind worked. She also wanted to coordinate contact with Interpol, because Matisse over there was an idiot, and was probably botching things at this very minute. Why, _why _was she being kept at home when they needed her? She wondered if she was being punished for choosing to save Raquel's life over escaping from the hangar and exposing the Professor's center of operations. If that was the case, she thought, raising her chin, she still didn't regret her actions.

She kept pacing, her mind running through the things she wanted to set in motion once she was allowed to go back to her job, until the doorbell interrupted her train of thought. She went to open the door to see a young man in a uniform standing there with a large box in his arms.

"Delivery for Elena González", he said.

"A delivery?" she said, surprised.

"Please sign here."

She signed his form, then took the heavy box from him, mystified as to what it could be. When she took it inside and opened it, her eyes went wide: the entire box was filled with crisp, clean notes of fifty euros. _Raquel. _She felt an immediate stab of annoyance: it offended her deeply that Raquel would think she'd accept a bribe like that. Then she noticed that there was a note on top of the money.

_Don't be offended, this isn't a bribe. I know you won't keep it, but I thought you might like to give it to a charity of your choosing. _

She felt slightly mollified as she turned the note over. It wasn't signed, but it didn't have to be – who else would send her a box full of money? She examined the box, but of course there was no information about the sender. Still – deliveries like this left a trace – the box must have been dropped off at the delivery service somewhere_. _She was fairly confident that the robbers would have left Europe by boat, so if she could trace this box back to its source, she might be able to find out what harbor they left from, giving her a starting point for her investigation. She felt a clear sense of focus and purpose settle over her for the first time in days as she picked up her phone and called the delivery company.

Half an hour later, she was in her car, an overnight bag in the trunk, to drive the six hours to a small harbor town in Portugal, close to Lisbon. It would be a long drive, but she knew the thrill of the chase would keep her going. On her way out of Madrid, she made one stop: at a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. She walked inside and put the box of money on the front desk, walking out again without giving a name, not even waiting for them to open the box and find out what was inside. Then she was on her way again. When she got to the village outside of Lisbon, late in the evening, the office of the delivery service was already closed, so she booked into a hotel and went to the office first thing in the morning to confirm that the package had indeed been dropped off there.

The clerk looked at the registration number she'd written down and shook his head.

"No, this wasn't dropped off here." He typed something into his computer. "It arrived here through the mail, with instructions for further delivery."

She nodded. Just as she'd suspected: they had been careful. Still, the box must have originated _somewhere. _She called the post office, but they told her all postal information was protected by privacy laws, and she would have to go to a post office with a warrant if she wanted that information. So she drove down to the local police station first, put on her most charming smile and went in to try and persuade her Portuguese colleagues to give her a warrant.

"Good morning", she said in Portuguese to the officer behind the front desk, flashing her badge. "I am Inspector Elena González of the Madrid police. I'm here on an investigation, and I'd like to request your help."

The young woman behind the desk looked up, and her eyes went wide.

"Are you… are you _the _Inspector González?"

Elena frowned – what was that supposed to mean?

"Yes?"

"But I've seen you on the news! You were involved in that massive heist at the Mint! You were caught by the robbers and kept as a prisoner for six days!"

"Yes", Elena said drily. "I know all of that. Now what I wanted to ask…"

But the officer wasn't listening – she got up and yelled to the rest of the station:

"Guys! Guys, come and see who's here!"

A minute later, to her utter confusion, Elena was surrounded by wide-eyed police officers bombarding her with questions.

"Were you really with those robbers for six days?"

"Well… yes."

"And you _survived?"_

"Clearly."

"Did they torture you?"

She snorted. "No."

"What was the Professor like?"

"Not nearly as impressive as you'd think."

The questions went on, the officers leaving her no room to say what she was actually there for. Just when she'd had about enough, the Captain of the precinct came out of his office.

"What's all this?"

"Inspector Elena González is here, Captain! From Madrid!"

He frowned. "That's no reason to cause such a ruckus. Go back to your stations, _now_."

The officers dispersed, and the Captain waved a relieved Elena into his office and motioned for her to sit down.

"Thank you", she said.

"You'll have to excuse them", the Captain said apologetically. "This is a very quiet village. You walking in here is the most exciting thing that's happened to them all year."

"It's alright."

"What can I help you with?"

"I'm tracing the robbers – it looks like they might have left Europe from this village."

His eyebrows shot up. "Really? That's interesting."

"To be sure, I need information about a package from the post office. And for that…"

"You need a warrant."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you just call your superiors in Madrid?"

She hesitated. "Well, I'm… not _technically _supposed to be working right now."

"Ah", he said. "You were placed on leave because of what you went through."

She nodded. "I'm resting."

He chuckled. "I see that."

"So will you help me?"

He gave her a long, considering look, then said:

"Well… I shouldn't give you a warrant while you're on leave… but maybe I don't _know _you're on leave. Maybe you haven't told me."

"Maybe I haven't", she agreed.

"Then I think I can accommodate you", he said. "_If_ I can ask you a question."

"Of course."

He glanced towards the door, then leaned forward and said: "What was it like when you were captured?"

She suppressed a smile and started talking.

…

An hour later, she was finally at the post office, her warrant safely in her pocket. When she asked about the package, however, the employee behind the desk informed her that it hadn't been dropped off there, but that it had been brought to a post office in a village on the other side of Lisbon by a delivery service. She swore, got back into her car, and drove to the other village, where she got the name of the delivery service. When she called them, they told her the box had arrived to them by mail, with instructions. And so it went on: the box had gone back and forth between delivery services and the postal system, which was very clever, because it meant the tracking number of the package changed continually and couldn't be traced all the way back to its source. And for every new tracking number, she had to show up at the post office with her warrant.

Over the next three days, the trail led her all over Portugal, along scenic routes along the coast and through mountains, leading her from one tiny village to the next, each seemingly more picturesque than the last. At first she was frustrated – this infinite rerouting had 'Sergio' written all over it – but she realized that he was counting on her giving up at some point, and she decided that that was not going to happen. So she patiently settled into the chase and after a while she actually started enjoying herself. She stopped for lunch on cobbled village squares and dinner at seaside restaurants, watching the sun set spectacularly into the ocean. She regularly got out of the car to stretch her legs, going for short walks along the mountainsides or the beach, talking to the people she met on the way. The weather was very nice for the fall, and she got more sunshine than she usually got in a year. Madrid seemed very far away.

Finally, it was the last day before she had to return to her job, and she started worrying that she might not reach the end of the trail on time. _How _many post offices had this box gone through? She arrived around noon in yet another quiet village, lying on one of the nicest beaches she'd ever seen. She got out of her car and a mild sea breeze caught her hair, and for just one fleeting moment, she considered not going straight to the post office, but to take off her shoes and walk along the azure water and get some ice cream. Then she shook herself – being away from her job for this long clearly wasn't good for her – and stepped into the cool shade of the post office.

"Inspector González", she said to the young clerk, flashing her warrant, as she'd done at a dozen post offices before. "We spoke on the phone. I need to trace a package with this number."

The clerk typed it into the computer, then he said: "That package was dropped off here, a week ago."

She felt a stab of excitement. Had she finally found the place? Had they left Europe from this harbor? Her thoughts started racing, but then the young clerk said:

"You said your name was González, right?"

"Right."

"Elena González?"

She frowned. "Yes."

He held out an envelope to her. It had her name on the front.

"This was dropped off here together with the box. He said someone would come by and pick it up in about a week."

"Who said?" she asked sharply. _Sergio?_

"A man full of tattoos, with a heavy Eastern European accent."

"With a beard?" she said, thinking of Oslo and Helsinki.

"No."

She felt the excitement leave her. Not someone from the gang, then – a hireling, untraceable. If they'd been _that _careful, it seemed unlikely that they'd led her to the village their ship had left from. Who knew where that hireling had come from with that box? She hesitated for a moment, then accepted the envelope and walked outside. She sat down on a bench in the sun and opened the envelope.

_Hi Elena. No, we didn't leave from this village, but we hope you enjoyed your trip – we tried to pick out the nicest routes and villages. Portugal is lovely, isn't it? Apologies for giving you the runaround, but we felt like you deserved a bit of a holiday. Now hopefully you'll feel rested and ready to come after us. We expect you to give it your best shot. Good luck!_

She stared down at the paper for a while, not sure how to feel. She considered getting angry, but then she started laughing instead, and she couldn't stop for a long time. Yes – she had a feeling that chasing Raquel and Sergio was going to be an… _interesting_ experience.

She glanced at the post office down the street, wondering if she should go question the clerk further – but then her eyes were drawn to the beach and the wonderfully blue water of the ocean, and she hesitated. It was a lovely day. She still had a few hours left before she had to drive back to Madrid. She got up, took a deep breath, and smiled. She might as well get some ice cream.


	39. Epilogue 2: Palawan

Arriving on the island – _their _island – felt like a dream. The water was bluer, the sand whiter, the sky brighter than anything he'd imagined, but that wasn't the best part – the best part was that he was here with _her_, it was taking her hand and looking out over the water, it was waking up next to her and knowing they were here… they were together… they were safe. They chose a hotel to stay in, and Paula and Marivi spent their days at the hotel pool while Sergio and Raquel drove around the island to look for a house. They wanted a place that was quiet and private and by the ocean, because Paula liked the beach and Sergio enjoyed the sound of the waves. After a week of searching and not finding any suitable houses, Sergio was starting to feel frustrated, so Raquel suggested they take the afternoon off and just enjoy the island. They turned off the main road onto a much smaller road that dove straight into the jungle. The sun was coming out after a spell of rain, and for a while, they drove along in silence, windows open, as mist began to rise from the forest floor and bird calls echoed through the trees all around them. The air was sweet with the smell of wet earth, and Sergio found himself breathing in deeply.

They reached a quiet village by the sea, children and dogs playing in the street, little stalls at the side of the road selling fruit and flowers and food that smelled amazing.

"This is such a nice place", Raquel said. "Let's get out and take a walk."

Sergio was hesitant to try food from the street vendors, but Raquel persuaded him and, after tasting it, he was glad she did. They took their lunch out to the beach, where they sat down on the trunk of a fallen palm tree and ate companionably side by side, their shoulders and knees touching. Sergio constantly had to remind himself that this was real, this was happening – he'd never lived like this, so freely, so casually, without rules or restrictions, doing whatever he liked just because he felt like it. He caught Raquel's eye and she smiled at him, then leaned in for a kiss.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "That I'm not used to this."

"To what?"

"Well…" he gestured at their surroundings. "This."

"Going on holiday?"

"Yes", he said. "I've traveled a bit, but I was always working. I've never actually gone on… holiday."

"Better get used to it", she smiled. "This is what the rest of your life will look like."

"Yes", he mused. "Yes, I suppose. It's difficult to believe."

"It must be strange", she said softly. "To work on the plan for the heist for twenty years, and then suddenly, it's all over and done."

He nodded. "Very strange." He took her hand and gazed at her earnestly. "If it hadn't been for you, I don't know what I would have done with myself. I'm so grateful you're here."

She gave him a soft smile. "Me too."

There was so much more that he wanted to say – that he could sense the gaping emptiness life would have been without her – that their little family was giving him a wonderful new purpose – that, after the heist, after his brother's death, she was the anchor that was keeping him steady. But he didn't know how to put that into words, so he carefully brushed a lock of hair away from her face and kissed her, confident that, even without words, she knew.

They got up and started walking along the water, leaving the village behind until all they could hear was the rustling of the palm trees and the gentle rhythm of the waves on the sand. After about fifteen minutes, though, he started shooting worried looks at her.

"Let's turn back."

"I'm fine, darling."

"You shouldn't overexert yourself yet."

"It's been a month, I'm so much better."

"You're still in pain, though."

Her wound was healing well, all things considered, but it took time for muscles and nerves to regenerate. On the journey here, he'd taken care of her shoulder three times a day, but once they'd arrived on the island, that hadn't been necessary anymore. She had limited use of her arm again, but she still had to be careful, she still had to take pain killers sometimes, and it would still be a while before she regained the full range of motion for that shoulder – if she ever did. He still felt a stab of guilt whenever he thought about it, and he desperately wanted to protect her from any further harm.

"You have to be careful, you're not fully healed yet."

"Healed enough to take a little walk."

"Please, Raquel", he said quietly. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

She stopped and gave him a soft look. "I'm fine, I promise."

"You don't know how tired you'll feel by the time we get back though."

"Just a little further?" she wheedled. "Just around the next bend?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I suppose if you get too tired I could always carry you back to the car."

Her eyes sparkled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hmm… maybe I _do _feel a little tired."

He chuckled. "Why don't I believe you?"

She looked up at him with a dreamy look in her eyes. "I just have very fond memories of you carrying me. Remember the time when I sprained my ankle and you carried me home in the rain?"

"Of course", he said softly. "It was the first time I got to hold you."

"Who would have thought back then that we would end up here?"

"I certainly didn't", he said, looking down at her. "But I've never been more happy to be wrong."

She smiled and stoop up on tiptoe to kiss him, and he carefully – still so carefully – wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. Then they continued along the beach. When they walked around a clump of bushes, they suddenly saw a house, half-hidden among the trees, a 'for sale' sign at the window. They looked at each other, excited, and went closer to take a look: it was a large, low house, with a thatched roof and lots of wood and open spaces. When they turned around, the bay stretched out in front of them, the ocean only a few paces away, the water an inviting shade of blue, and large green islands on the horizon. Raquel took his hand and squeezed it.

"I think this is it."

"Yes", he said. "This is it."

They moved in three days later.

…

Sergio had expressly forbidden Raquel from lifting anything, so she directed the movers and decided where she wanted the furniture – it didn't matter that much to him – while he walked in and out of the house with boxes. He was still having trouble grasping – _really _grasping – that they were starting their life together as a family, exactly the way they'd dreamed it would be. Looking back over the past month, everything since they'd left that hangar seemed a bit of a blur to him: moving from one ship to the next, traveling over land for a while, going from hotel to hotel to make their trail as hard to follow as possible, then on to another ship. It had been chaotic and exhausting, and only now that they were moving into their house did he feel like things were finally settling down. Life after the heist was taking shape. As he carried in box after box, his thoughts drifted back to the gang, and he wondered how they were settling into their new lives.

_Saying goodbye to the others was harder than he expected. They spent one last night together in Casablanca before splitting up and going their separate ways, and he hadn't realized how much he had come to regard them all as family until he was faced with the prospect of never seeing them again. At the end of the night, there were many tearful goodbyes, hugs, last conversations. Nairobi called for Sergio to give a speech, like he'd done the night before the heist, but he couldn't – the thought of losing this little family so soon after having lost his brother made him unable to speak. So they'd hugged him, one by one, saying words of farewell and thanks – bear hugs from Oslo and Helsinki, off to Argentina – then Denver, Moscow and Monica, ready to start a family in Indonesia – Tokyo and Rio, seemingly closer than before, going to an island paradise of their own in Panama. The last person to say goodbye to them was Nairobi, who would be going with Oslo and Helsinki. She spent a while in quiet conversation with Raquel, and he felt desperately sad as he watched the women give each other a long, warm hug. Then Nairobi walked up to him, and he swallowed hard._

"_Nairobi… thank you. For… for everything."_

_She grinned. "You're welcome, Profe. Don't screw things up with her now that I'll no longer be around to save your ass, okay?"_

"_I won't", he assured her seriously. _

_She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, and after a moment's hesitation, he carefully hugged her back. _

"_Good luck with the next step", she whispered, then released him. _

"_What… what next step?"_

_She laughed and patted his cheek. "I think it's time you figure things out for yourself. Goodbye, Profe."_

_His throat was tight. "Goodbye, Nairobi."_

_There was a last round of goodbyes, then he'd taken Raquel's hand and watched them all walk into the night. It felt very strange to hope that he would never see them again._

He was snapped back to the present as Paula ran up to him, breathless with excitement.

"There's a _lizard _in my room!"

"Oh", Sergio said. "Is it a big lizard?"

"No, a tiny one. He's on the ceiling!"

"Do you want me to come and chase him out?"

"No, I want to keep him! His name is Pablo."

Sergio couldn't help but laugh as he watched Paula race off to tell her grandmother about Pablo. He'd never been around kids before, and he hadn't been sure he liked them, but Paula was… well, she was a wonderful child. Her curiosity, her enthusiasm, the sense of wonder with which she approached the world… it amazed him, and though he felt that it would take some more time before he felt completely comfortable around her, he genuinely liked having her around.

The next moment, Raquel walked by him, carrying a small box, and he hurried after her.

"Raquel, we said you wouldn't do any of the moving!"

"I can use _this _arm."

"You're supposed to _rest_."

"It barely weighs anything."

"That doesn't matter", he grumbled, putting down his own box and taking hers from her. "If you want something moved, you ask _me. _Where do you want this?"

He kept a close eye on her for the rest of the afternoon, regularly intervening when she tried to carry things, insisting she sit down when it looked like she was getting tired. He just _wished _she would rest more, he _wished _she would let him take care of things more. Watching her direct the movers, picking up things here and there, he was so scared she would hurt herself. It would take at least another month before her shoulder would be fully healed – he wished he could wrap her in bubble wrap and keep her safe.

Finally, the truck was empty and the movers were ready to go. He went out with them to pay them, and they shook his hand.

"This is a nice place", one of them said appreciatively.

"And you have a really lovely wife", the other one added.

He felt a warm glow of pride as he smiled to himself. His wife. He liked that.

He returned inside to find Marivi and Raquel unpacking boxes.

"I'm only using my right hand!" Raquel said quickly as she saw him come in.

"Alright", he said. "But tell me if you get too tired."

"Don't worry", Marivi chuckled, patting his arm. "I'm keeping an eye on her."

"She just doesn't know when to stop."

"She's always been like that", Marivi smiled. "Ever since she was a child."

"Will you two stop?" Raquel said, amused.

"If you refuse to take care of yourself, we have to do it for you", he said.

She laughed. "I'm not _dying._"

A memory flashed across Sergio's mind, of kneeling in a pool of her blood, pressing a soaked shirt to her chest. _Hold on, my love. Hold on. _

Raquel looked up at him and her smile disappeared.

"It's alright", she said gently, reaching up to touch his cheek. "It's alright."

"I think I'll go get something to drink", Marivi said, tactfully retreating to the kitchen.

He opened his arms to Raquel and she walked into them, tilting up her face to press a kiss against his cheek.

"I'm okay, Sergio."

He nodded. "Just let me hold you for a bit."

She leaned against his chest and he kissed the top of her head and breathed her in. So close, he'd come so close to losing her… The thought of it still made it hard to breathe, and he hugged her tighter without thinking, but then a small gasp from her made him let go immediately.

"I'm so sorry!"

"It's nothing", she smiled reassuringly. "Just a twinge."

"I'll be more careful next time", he said contritely.

She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then turned back to the box she was unpacking, putting several empty picture frames on a cabinet.

"Why did you buy picture frames?" he asked. "We don't have any pictures."

"Not yet", she smiled. "But we'll make some soon. I want a nice family picture of us."

He smiled. "That sounds good."

She looked up at him, hesitating. "You know… if you want, we can put up a picture of your brother as well."

He looked at her in surprise, then nodded. "Yes. I'd like that."

Paula's voice suddenly sounded from outside, calling for her mother, and Raquel walked out to check on her, leaving Sergio to gaze thoughtfully at the empty picture frames. A picture of his brother. That was so thoughtful of Raquel – but of course, that shouldn't surprise him.

_I love you, little brother. Don't you forget it._

"_Andrés!"_

_He woke up with a start and sat up, shaking, panting, his heart racing frantically. The semi-darkness around him disoriented him – he didn't recognize anything – but then there was a soft hand on his arm and a familiar voice in his ear. _

"_It's alright, my love. It's alright."_

"_Raquel?"_

_She was stroking his back. "Yes, I'm here."_

_His hands were still shaking as he rubbed them over his face. _

"_I… I couldn't help him, Raquel. I couldn't help him."_

"_It was just dream", she murmured. _

"_It… it wasn't though", he said, swallowing hard as the terrible realization hit him all over again. "It really happened… he's really gone."_

_To his embarrassment, tears started sliding down his face and he could do nothing to stop them. _

"_He's gone, Raquel. He's gone."_

"_I know", she whispered, wrapping her arm around him and shifting closer. "I know."_

_He turned towards her and buried his face against her unhurt shoulder, and she held him as he cried, while the boat rocked them gently. When his tears finally dried up, he wiped his face and glanced at Paula, who was sleeping in the bunk on the other side of the cabin. _

"_Did… did I wake her?"_

"_No, don't worry", she smiled. "She's always been a sound sleeper."_

_She lay back down into the pillows and pulled him down too, so they lay close together. _

"_Tell me about him", she said softly. "Tell me about your brother."_

That had been the first of many nightmares and many midnight conversations as they slowly made their way across the world, and she was always so gentle with him – so patient, so kind, even when he woke her up night after night. He turned to see her walk back into the house with Paula by the hand, talking enthusiastically about seashells. She looked up and smiled at him as she crossed to the kitchen, and he smiled back. _You have a really lovely wife. _He really did, didn't he? Though, he realized, _technically_ she wasn't his wife. He suddenly heard Nairobi again: _Good luck with the next step, _and all of a sudden something _clicked _in his brain. Oh! Of course, _of course_… that's what she'd meant.

He shook his head in amazement – how had he not thought of that before? They were going to spend the rest of their lives together, weren't they? And yet, maybe it wasn't so surprising that it hadn't occurred to him. He'd watched his brother get married six times, and he'd attended all of those weddings, but he never, not once, had thought that one day it might happen to him. It was simply inconceivable to him, that he could meet someone he'd want to share his entire life with. He'd listened to the wedding vows, and he hadn't understood. He'd never understood how someone could want to commit to another person in that way, promising to love them forever. How could they know, how could they be _sure_? But he was sure now – more sure than he'd ever been of anything in his life. _You have a lovely wife. _It wasn't true, not _entirely. _He wanted to make it true.

…

That evening, Paula slept in her own room for the first time. All throughout their journey, on the various boats and in the various hotel rooms, she'd always slept in the room with them, unwilling to sleep apart from Raquel. Sergio had understood – after six months of thinking her mother was gone forever, of course the child wanted to stay close to her now, and he suspected that Raquel didn't want to be apart from Paula either. Nevertheless, he was glad when Raquel said that Paula should sleep in her own room from now on – he'd missed their privacy. Thankfully, the girl seemed happy to comply, chattering on about Pablo, who seemed to be a permanent resident in the room.

Marivi decided to go to bed right after Paula, leaving Raquel and Sergio talking on the porch as the sun disappeared below the horizon and the first stars came out. Once they were alone, she came to sit on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Maybe we should go to bed too", she suggested with a smile.

"Yes", he nodded. "It's been a busy day, you must be tired."

She leaned in to nuzzle his ear. "No, I'm not that tired."

"Then why do you want to go to bed?"

She laughed. "I know it's been a while, but please don't tell me you've forgotten what other things you can do in a bedroom."

He frowned. "Raquel… no, that's not a good idea."

She nuzzled his ear again, and he felt a sudden stab of longing.

"Why not?"

"You're still recovering, we have to be careful."

"Then we'll be careful."

"Raquel, I… I'm afraid I'd hurt you."

"You wouldn't hurt me."

"I hurt you before when we were just hugging!"

She chuckled. "Then don't squeeze me this time."

She started kissing his neck, and his longing for her intensified to such a pitch that he had to push her away.

"Please… please don't."

She sat up with a sad look and murmured: "But don't you miss it?"

He gave her an anguished look in return. Did he _miss _it? Could that word even remotely capture what he was feeling? Could it ever cover the depth of the longing he felt, for that closeness with her, that intimacy, that breathless ecstasy… After a month of sleeping in pajamas and barely touching her, he was _aching _with the need to feel her skin, to cover her with kisses, to lose himself completely in the wonder of her_. _Did he _miss _it?

"Desperately", he whispered.

She immediately leaned in to kiss him, eagerly, hungrily. "Then let's go to the bedroom."

But he steeled himself, and she made a small sound of frustration as he pushed her away again. "Sergio, I'm fine!"

"You're not", he said seriously. "You won't be fine for another month at least."

"I'm fine enough for _this_! We can be careful, we can find a way to make it work…"

"Raquel", he said quietly, and the look he gave her made her pause. "You got hurt because of me. I hurt you so badly – I can't bear the thought of hurting you again."

She put a hand against his cheek. "You didn't hurt me, though."

He shook his head. "I did."

"Sergio", she said gently. "It's been a month. You have to forgive yourself for what happened."

He looked at her, then slowly slid the strap of her top off her left shoulder so the fabric slipped down below her collarbone and revealed the scar there, still healing, still an angry red. It would turn white eventually, but it would never fade away, and his throat felt tight as he traced a careful finger over it. The history of his failings, forever written on her skin.

"This is where I failed you", he whispered.

She took his hand and moved his fingers to the crook of her elbow, where the tiny mark of a needle was still just visible.

"And this is where you saved me."

"You wouldn't have needed saving if…"

She put her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes, and he fell quiet.

"That wasn't the first time you saved me, you know", she said softly. "The first time you saved me, I was in the back of a dark van, in handcuffs, on my way to several years in prison. I was scared and angry and desperate, but you found me and you gave me a chance to fight, because you believed in me. You gave me a new life. That was the first time you saved me."

He remained silent, listening.

"The second time you saved me, you probably didn't even realize it. We'd been in the house for several weeks and nobody would talk to me. I'd lost everything I'd ever known and I felt completely alone in the world. I was having nightmare after nightmare, and I was… I was at the edge of what I could bear. But then there you were. You were kind to me, you comforted me, you gave me your name. You probably don't remember it, but… you told me I wasn't alone. That's the second time you saved me."

He swallowed. He remembered that night, of course he remembered it, he remembered it so clearly. She smiled at him, a warm, soft smile.

"After that, I lost count. All summer long, you saved me over and over again. I was so lost, my love. I was…" her voice shook, but she recovered herself, "… I was so broken. But with every kindness from you, with every touch, with every look, you saved me from loneliness, you saved me from despair. Then when we finally really found each other, when you finally took me in your arms and told me you loved me, you saved me from heartache and pain and so many bad memories."

She looked around at their house, at the beach, the ocean.

"Everything I have today, this wonderful life, my family,… you made that happen. What is one mistake compared to that? I grant you that mistake, Sergio. People make mistakes. I accept it, and I don't love you any less for it. I have no regrets. I wouldn't change a single thing if I could."

She touched her scar with light fingers.

"If this is the price I had to pay, I pay it willingly, I pay it _gladly_, and I'd pay it all over again. I forgive you, and now you have to forgive yourself, because the impact you've had on my life is _overwhelmingly _more positive than negative. You can't keep feeling guilty, I won't have it. Okay?"

He looked into her eyes and saw nothing but love there. His throat was so tight he couldn't speak, but he nodded, and she gave him a sweet smile and pressed her lips softly against his.

"Now please take me to bed", she whispered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes", she said, giving him an appealing look. "Sergio, maybe you can wait another month, but I can't, I _can't_."

He knew what she meant. The heist and its consequences, and then traveling here with her family, had created a frustrating distance between them in many ways, and he was as eager as she was to bridge that gap again.

"Please", she repeated softly. "I so want to be close to you again."

How could he resist her? He'd never had the strength. Ever so carefully, he gathered her in his arms and she sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her into the bedroom. He pushed aside the thin white curtains around their bed and gently put her down on the mattress, then joined her. He propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at her, illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window: her hair fanned out over the pillow, her eyes dark and warm as she looked up at him. After not having had any real intimacy for so long, this felt like a very significant moment, and he suddenly felt a little nervous. Would it be different now, would it be awkward? He remembered how in sync they'd been in the house in Toledo, before it all happened, and as he felt the difference now, he wondered if it would take time to get there again.

The time before the operation… it seemed like a lifetime ago. They had lived through so much since then – the events of the heist testing their relationship over and over again, leaving them scarred in so many ways. Would they still be the same as they had been before? He loved her more than ever, but he couldn't deny that the heist had unbalanced them. In their warm bubble in Toledo, they had fit together so seamlessly, sharing a deep, wordless connection which had seemed entirely unshakeable – but it had been shaken nonetheless, and due to the circumstances of the past month, they hadn't been able to try and see if they could reclaim it. Now that things had settled down, now that they had some real time alone together for the first time since the heist, he wondered what they'd find.

So he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, tentatively, testing, trying to feel out that closeness between them, which had always been there before and which he felt most clearly whenever they made love. Kissing her felt like a good start – how he loved kissing her – he would never get tired of it. He kissed her slowly, sweetly, taking his time – they had time, they had all night, and he wanted to do it right. Of course they'd kissed in the past month, even if they hadn't been able to do anything else, but not like this: tasting, exploring, discovering each other all over again. After so long, he was more aware of her than he'd ever been, and when they deepened the kiss, he felt himself come into the moment as she swept him away. Had he ever fully realized before how soft her lips were? Had he ever really noticed just how sweet she tasted? She was his only reality as they sank into kiss after kiss after kiss, slowly attuning themselves to each other again.

They lost themselves for minutes on end in these kisses, and gradually the rest of the world fell away, until they were only aware of each other. They undressed each other, unhurriedly, and with every item of clothing that dropped to the floor, they were removing the layers of themselves they used to navigate the outside world: for him, it was the Professor, cold and calculating – for her, the responsibilities she had for her family. In the intimacy of their bedroom, they revealed themselves, only to each other, in all their vulnerability, and when they lay down together, skin against skin, they were just _them_, open and uncomplicated and truly together.

In the moonlit darkness, they touched each other with gentle hands, remembering the way over muscles and soft skin. He was so careful with her, so sweet, and with every kiss, with every touch, their relationship was further reduced to its essence, pure and simple and beautiful. Physical nearness turned into a deeper closeness which left no room for guilt or regret – there was only acceptance and love, all the emotions generated by the conscious mind making way for the emotions of the heart. The divide between them faded away as they offered up their truest selves to each other, only to be met with tender recognition – _you, I know you. There you are._

Completely wrapped up in each other, free from distractions and external pressures, they were able to feel their way beyond the turbulence at the surface of their lives, and as their bodies came together in tenderness and joy, they discovered that the connection between them was even stronger than before, crystallized by everything they'd been through, like a diamond formed under extreme pressure. As they moved together in easy synchronicity, their bodies fitting together perfectly, they felt it in every heartbeat. They were united in this moment, the barriers between them falling away one by one until nothing separated them anymore, until he felt completely in tune with her, sure that he was feeling what she was feeling, her pleasure adding to his, amplifying every sensation, every emotion, taking him closer and closer to the edge. When they finally fell, they fell together, joyfully, and for one breathless moment they were no longer two people but beautifully, gloriously, one.

Afterwards, they stayed close together, holding each other tight. They were separated again, but only by their skin – the distance between them had vanished completely, their connection intimate and golden and stronger than ever.

"Oh", she whispered, pressing her forehead against his, "I've missed this, I've missed this so much."

He could only nod, too overcome to speak. What he shared with her was beyond words.

They lay together in silence, just enjoying each other's company, and he slowly felt things return to normal – though _normal _with her was still extraordinary. After a while, she turned to him and said softly:

"Do you remember the night we had that date during the heist?"

"Of course."

"You pulled the sheet over our heads and said we could be anywhere we wanted to be…"

He smiled. "I remember."

"And I said I wanted to be in our home, in Palawan." She lifted her head and smiled at him. "And now we're here, Sergio. I can't believe it. We made it."

"Yes", he smiled back. "We made it."

Her eyes turned more sober. "There were moments when… when I thought we'd never get here. You and me, I mean. There were moments when I thought that heist would break us."

He shook his head. "Never. What we have is too strong for that."

"Yes", she whispered. "There was so much going on that… that sometimes I couldn't feel it anymore, but you're right. What we have is…"

She looked at him, and he nodded. _Unbreakable._

She tilted up her face and pressed a tender kiss against his lips, then murmured:

"I'm so happy to be here with you, my love. I don't think I could be happier."

He looked into her eyes, and as the golden feeling of connection inside him swelled again, a question rose to his lips and he almost asked her then and there… At the last moment, though, he restrained himself and kept it in. He had to do it right, he had to do it properly – she deserved that. So he just kissed her and pulled her close, and she smiled at him and settled back down with her head on his chest.

Soon, she was asleep in his arms, and he lay looking up at the ceiling, too excited to sleep. How would he ask her? What would she like? It had to be great – it had to be perfect – she deserved no less, because _she_ was perfect. As he looked down at her sleeping face, he was struck by the realization of how completely he loved her, how he loved every part of her. He loved her when she was laughing, he loved her when she cried. He loved her when she was hard and he loved her when she was soft, when she was fierce and when she was loving, when she was angry and when she was teasing, when she was strong and when she was vulnerable. He loved her when she was right and he loved her, much more rarely, when she was wrong. He loved her when she was everything, because she _was_ everything. A woman like that deserved the perfect proposal, and he would try his hardest to make it happen.

…

Three weeks later, their little family had settled comfortably into their new life. Paula spent every waking moment on the beach, they had hired a nurse to help them take care of Marivi, Raquel spent her days playing with Paula and researching charities they could donate to, and Sergio watched it all with a sense of wonder. He'd never lived like this, surrounded by a family of his own, and he was surprised by how much he enjoyed it, surprised by the little moments of joy scattered throughout the day, surprised by the laughter. At first, he wasn't sure how to fill his days – the heist had always occupied most of his time before. However, Raquel invariably seemed to sense when he was beginning to feel a little lost, and then she'd be at his side, saying she wasn't about to do all the cooking by herself and he'd better start learning, or asking him to teach Paula to play chess, or suggesting a walk along the beach, and he couldn't be more grateful. So they cooked together, they played games together, they took walks and went swimming and spent hours making love, and he realized that, slowly but surely, she was teaching him how to live.

In the meantime, he'd been arranging things for the perfect proposal, trying to be as subtle as possible so she wouldn't start suspecting he was up to something. He drove along the coast looking for the right place, knowing immediately when he found it. He called a few people, arranged a few things, bought a new suit – everything went smoothly. There was only one thing that kept him up at night: he had to find her an engagement ring, and he had no clue how to go about it. He wanted it to be the perfect ring, but he knew he was hopeless when it came to things like that, and what if she didn't like the one he picked out? Finally he decided that this was too important, and he needed help.

So one day when Raquel and Paula were out snorkeling, he approached Marivi, who was reading at the table outside.

"Can I… uhm… can I join you?" he asked, rather nervously.

She looked up, surprised – they hadn't spent much time together – but then gave him a warm smile.

"Of course."

He sat down and pushed his glasses up his nose, unsure of how to start.

"I would like to ask for your help with something."

"I'll gladly help you any way I can."

He took a deep breath. "You see, I would like… I would _very much _like to… to marry Raquel."

A radiant smile appeared on the old lady's face. She leaned forward, took his face between her hands and kissed him twice on each cheek, leaving him red and flustered.

"Oh", she said, sitting back and giving him a fond look. "I was hoping you would. This is wonderful news!"

He gave her a shy smile. "I'm glad you approve."

"Of course I do! She's going to be so pleased."

"So you think she'll say yes?" he said hopefully.

Marivi smiled at him. "I don't think you really doubt that, and neither do I. So what do you need my help with?"

"The ring", he admitted. "I don't know how to choose one she'll like. I don't even know where to start."

"Hmm", she said thoughtfully. "I think your best choice would be to order some brochures, and then we can look through them together."

"That's a great idea", he said, relieved. "Thank you."

Marivi shook her head and reached out to put her hand on his with a serious look.

"No, thank _you_, Sergio. I've never seen Raquel this happy."

He felt a warm glow. "Really?"

"Really. Her life hasn't been easy over the past few years."

"I know", he said soberly.

"I'm so glad she's found you. You're right for her. You're right for each other."

He smiled. "I couldn't agree more."

…

He opened the car door for her, and as she got out, he couldn't help but stare. She looked so lovely in the evening light, wearing a new dress and a few touches of makeup, her hair falling in soft waves over her bare shoulders.

"Sergio, _where _are we going?" she asked him again, but he just shook his head with a mysterious smile and took her hand to lead her along a path between the trees.

"You can't just tell me to dress up and not tell me why", she said. "What if I'm not dressed right for where we're going?"

"Don't worry", he said, glancing sideways at her. "You look perfect."

He was filled with nervous anticipation as they walked along the path, the ring in his pocket, the things he wanted to say in his head. He'd rehearsed his little speech over and over again – he had to get it just right. Tonight had to be perfect.

They finally came out of the jungle and she gasped. They had walked out onto a cliff, overlooking a bay with water of the brightest turquoise, little forested islands dotting the bay like emeralds. The sun was low on the horizon, giving everything a warm golden glow, and in front of them was a little table set for two, surrounded by flowers.

"Sergio", she said, her eyes wide. "What is this?"

Her reaction was everything he could have hoped for, and he smiled.

"I felt like we should celebrate", he said.

"Celebrate what?"

"The end of the heist. Being here. Our new life together."

She reached up and kissed him. "That's so sweet of you. This is such a wonderful spot."

They sat down at the table and a waiter came and poured them champagne, then brought them plates of food. She looked at him in wonder.

"How did you arrange all of this?"

He shrugged. "Anything is possible if you have enough money."

She laughed. "I suppose I still have to get used to that idea."

Throughout the meal, he became increasingly nervous, going over his speech in his head over and over again. It was a tropical night, hot and humid, and he was uncomfortable in his suit. Finally she reached out and touched his hand.

"Are you okay? You seem a little distracted."

He gave her a tense smile. "I'm fine, I was just thinking."

"Well, you're missing the most spectacular sunset."

He looked out over the bay to see that the setting sun was painting the clouded sky all kinds of colors, from the brightest orange to a deep, flaming scarlet. The effect was quite dramatic. Right on cue, the waiter came to clear their plates, and a violinist appeared next to their table and started to play. She looked at him in surprise.

"You really went all out, didn't you?"

"It's no less than you deserve", he murmured.

He looked at her, his mouth dry. He was so nervous that he wasn't sure he'd be able to do it right, but the sun was setting and he'd have to do it soon. She frowned at him in concern.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

He rather wished the violinist could have been a little further away from the table, he rather wished the setting sun wasn't so bright, he rather wished she wasn't sitting so far away from him. He was sweating in the heat and his head was spinning from the champagne, but it was now or never. He supposed he should kneel, but he'd feel ridiculous, so he just took a deep breath and started.

"Raquel…"

A raindrop suddenly fell on the table between them, and Raquel looked up at the sky.

"Uh oh."

He looked up too, to see that big, dark clouds had gathered above them, and he cursed inwardly. Seriously, _now? _They looked at each other – they'd had some experience with the rainfall by now – then wordlessly got up and started hurrying back towards the car. They'd only taken a few paces when the heavens opened and an absolute downpour came down on them, soaking them instantly.

"Come on!" Raquel shouted as she started running, and he followed her down the path through the jungle, which had turned slippery with mud. When they finally reached the car, they collapsed in their seats, wet to the skin, covered in mud. Raquel was laughing, but Sergio felt a sinking sense of disappointment. He'd wanted it to be perfect – he'd planned everything into the minutest detail – and now his plans were ruined by the _weather._

"Cheer up, darling", Raquel smiled, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "That's the risk of a tropical climate. And at least we were done with dinner."

After a few minutes, the deluge stopped as suddenly as it had started, and Sergio silently started the car and began the drive home. Now he had to start all over again – find a new place, a new setting, a new plan. He'd have to wait another few weeks at least, and that wasn't an appealing prospect at all. He sighed. He'd never been an impatient man, but he just couldn't wait to get a step closer to marrying her.

…

When they got home, Sergio answered Marivi's raised eyebrows with a quick shake of the head, and she nodded and stayed quiet. They both changed out of their wet clothes and took a shower, then Raquel put Paula to bed and the three adults settled out on the porch. The rain had broken the heat of the day, and the air was much more pleasant now that the sun was gone and the first stars appeared. Sergio let his thoughts drift as the women talked, until Marivi announced that she was going to bed.

"The moon is so bright tonight", Raquel remarked idly after her mother had gone in. "You can see almost as well as by daylight."

He nodded absently. "It will be a full moon tomorrow."

She turned to him. "I think I'll go for a swim."

"What?" he said. "Now?"

"Yes, it's been such a hot day and it's still quite warm. Do you want to join me?"

"No thank you", he smiled. "I've been quite wet enough for one day."

She laughed and went inside to change into her bathing suit, dropping a towel on the table as she passed him on her way back. He looked at her retreating back for a moment, then picked up the towel and followed her barefoot onto the beach so he could keep an eye on her in case anything happened. He settled himself against a palm tree, perfectly content to just watch her swim.

It didn't take long before she came back out of the water and walked towards him, and his breath caught in his throat. She was a vision in the moonlight, drops of water rolling down her silvery skin, soft shadows emphasizing the curves of her body, her eyes shining.

"That was amazing", she said, pushing back her wet hair with a smile.

She dropped down to the sand and he wrapped her in the towel, then she came to sit between his legs and leaned back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and together they looked out at the sea. The air was fragrant with the smell of the flowering bushes nearby, a fresh breeze rustled the leaves of the palm trees, and the near-full moon was reflected on the ocean. Above them, the velvet sky was covered in stars.

"Have you ever seen a more perfect night?" she whispered happily, settling more comfortably against him, snug in her towel.

As he kissed her cheek and gently tightened his arms around her, he felt a serene sense of peace settle over him. He wondered about it, this deep, warm feeling he always experienced when he was holding her, this feeling of things being exactly _right. _Having her in his arms, just the two of them alone on this beach, on this beautiful night… well, it was just perfect. He suddenly realized that he never wanted to let this feeling go – he never wanted to let _her _go. Ever.

So he bent his head and whispered in her ear:

"Raquel… will you marry me?"

She turned her head and looked at him in wonder, then the most beautiful smile appeared on her face.

"You want to marry me?"

"More than anything. Do _you_ want to marry _me_?"

"Yes", she said, her eyes radiant. "Yes, Sergio, yes!"

He laughed, a blaze of happiness kindling in his chest as he pulled her in for a kiss. She turned around, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him so enthusiastically that they fell back into the sand together, her body on top of his, and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her and kissed her and kissed her. He felt giddy with joy, a bright, sparkling flood of it, suffusing every part of his body.

"Are we really getting married?" she said, looking down at him, slightly breathless.

"As soon as possible, as far as I'm concerned."

She laughed and shook her head, and he frowned.

"You seem surprised."

"I didn't think you'd ask me."

"Why not?"

"I wasn't sure if you'd want to…"

He sat up so they were face to face.

"If I'd want to what?" he asked quietly. "Commit to you? Spend my life with you? Promise to love you forever? Really, Raquel? After all we've been through?"

She gave him a soft look. "You really think you'll love me forever?"

He looked into her eyes, serious. "Raquel, I can't promise that I'll be a perfect husband. I can't promise that I'll always be the man you deserve." He gently touched her scar. "I can't promise that I'll never hurt you. But I can promise you that I'll love you with all of myself, for as long as you'll let me. I never thought I'd know a love like this, and I know – I _know_ – that I couldn't feel it for anyone but you. The world is so big, Raquel, and yet I found you. I'd be a fool to ever let you go again."

The way she was looking at him made his throat feel tight as he continued softly:

"You deserve more than I could ever give you… but everything I have is yours."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, and he poured every feeling of his overflowing heart into that kiss: bright, shining joy – pride that she would be his – an aching and overwhelming tenderness. He felt it again, more clearly than ever: that connection between them, blazing bright and golden and true. It was too much to contain, and he took her face between his hands and covered it with kisses until she laughed in delight – then her laugh turned into a sigh as he started kissing her throat. His hands were in her hair, on her back, pressing her close to him, and she tilted her head and sighed again as he pressed kiss after kiss to her silky skin. He couldn't get enough of her – he would _never _be able to get enough of her – of kissing her, of holding her, of giving her pleasure in every possible way until she was trembling in his arms. He suddenly wanted her desperately, to feel that ultimate closeness to her, to consummate the promise they had just made to each other.

She clearly felt the same way, because she twined her fingers into his hair and tilted his head up so she could kiss him deeply, hungrily, a kiss that took his breath away. Her fingers were flying down the buttons of his shirt, and the next moment he shrugged out of it, her hands on his shoulders and chest making shivers run down his spine. He dipped down his head and found a hard nipple through the fabric of her bathing suit, and a moan escaped her lips as he pulled at it with his teeth. Then her mouth was hot on his again, until she pressed her hips against him and bit his bottom lip, and he pulled back with a gasp.

"Take it off", he said urgently, and she obeyed him immediately, maneuvering out of her bathing suit to straddle him, naked in his arms. The moment it was off, he closed his warm mouth over a nipple and sucked hard, making her moan again, her hands in his hair keeping him there, there, right there. Meanwhile, his hands were roaming down her back, over her buttocks, caressing her hips and thighs until she was squirming with longing. Finally she couldn't take it anymore – she reached down, unbuttoned his pants with nimble fingers, and he groaned softly as she drew him out.

"Oh", he whispered, his breathing quickening as she ran her fingers up and down his length. "Oh, Raquel, I want you so badly."

She nodded, lifted her hips, then bit her lip and looked straight into his eyes as she slowly sank down on him, making him shudder – she was so unbelievably sexy, she felt so good around him, and when she started riding him, he had to use every last ounce of restraint not to come immediately. He drew her head down and kissed her hard, then he slipped one hand between them, fingers searching for the right spot. She moaned against his lips when he found it, and he firmly kept himself in check, attuning himself to her pleasure while they rocked together. Soon, her every breath was a moan, then suddenly she tensed, looked into his eyes and whispered: "Yes!"

That was all he needed. They held each other tight as the wave rushed through them both, lifting them up together and sweeping them away.

Afterwards, he let himself fall back onto the sand, feeling dizzy with the sheer bliss of it, and she slipped off him to wrap the towel around herself, then she nestled herself against him, making soft sounds of utter contentment as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Oh", she sighed happily. "_God _that was good. I'm still tingling."

He smiled. "If this is what happens after proposing to you, I can't wait for the wedding night."

She laughed. "I can guarantee that, on our wedding night, you're going to get _very _lucky."

"I'm already lucky", he said softly. "Luckiest man in the world, in fact."

She smiled up at him. "I'm feeling pretty lucky myself at the moment."

He lifted his head and pressed a kiss to her lips, and she stroked his cheek as she kissed him back.

"I wanted to ask you earlier", he said when they broke apart. "On the cliff, at sunset. I'm sorry, you deserved a proper proposal."

"No", she whispered, giving him a soft look, luminous with happiness. "No, don't apologize, this was perfect."

He smiled and kissed her again, and she shifted closer. Lying close together, they were silent for a while, looking up at the stars. It really was the most perfect night.

…

He woke up in the first light of dawn and blinked a few times in confusion. Why were there palm leaves waving above him? Then he turned his head and saw Raquel, still sleeping peacefully on the sand beside him, and he realized they'd fallen asleep on the beach. A slow smile appeared on his face as the events of last night came back to him: he'd asked her – she'd said yes – soon she'd be his wife. He suddenly realized that one thing was missing. Careful not to wake her, he got up, walked into the house, and returned a few minutes later. He sat back down on the sand and looked at her as she slept. The soft morning light made everything seem a little unreal, like the world was emerging from the night only half-formed and malleable, like he could change anything he wanted if he just reached out and tried. He didn't move. He didn't want to change anything.

Life had taken him in such an unexpected direction, but as he gazed down at her sleeping face, it felt exactly right. He thought back to the first time he'd seen her, fresh out of handcuffs and yet with that fire in her eyes – he'd liked her immediately, but he hadn't suspected for a moment what she'd become to him. He remembered those first weeks in Toledo, always seeking her out, drawn to her by a force as irresistible as gravity. He remembered the first days after they'd gotten together, how he'd felt as if he'd been handed something so precious and fragile, and he had no idea how to care for it. She'd shown him the way, she'd taken his hand and guided him through it all, and in the weeks that followed, they had gotten ever closer, and their bond had grown into something stronger than he'd ever experienced. The heist had tested them in every possible way, bringing up imperfections and insecurities, but in the end, it had only brought them closer together. They had been through fire, and they had come out stronger.

He still couldn't quite fathom how much she'd changed his life, how much she'd changed _him. _She hadn't just impacted the physical realities of life for him, but his fundamental state of being. For as long as he could remember, he'd always been assessing every possible outcome, calculating risks and probabilities, weighing his options. His life had been made up of escape routes and Plan B's. Now, he was shedding that part of himself. With her, he needed no escape route. With her, he had no Plan B. There was no risk-assessment of this situation, because there were no different options. In the ever-shifting circumstances of existence, she was his one certainty – the certainty he would build his life on.

The still-hidden sun was tinging the sky a delicate pink, and the birds in the jungle behind them were singing their hearts out by the time she finally stirred awake. He smiled as she shifted, sat up, rubbed her face. When she turned towards him, he was holding the open ring box.

"Good morning", he said. "Do you still want to marry me?"

Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Good morning. Yes, I still want to marry you."

"I forgot to give you this last night."

She held out her left hand and he took out the ring and slid it onto the fourth finger, where a small vein ended that ran down into her hand and wrist, up through her elbow and shoulder, to pass right by the scar underneath her collarbone. It didn't stop there, however – it continued on to her heart.

"Do you like it?" he asked tentatively as she examined the ring, and she looked up at him with shining eyes.

"I love it."

She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "What a perfect way to start another day with you."

"It's still early. Do you want to go inside and sleep for another hour or two?"

"No", she murmured. "No, let's stay here and watch the sunrise."

So they settled comfortably against a palm tree, his arm around her shoulders so she could lean against him, her arm around his waist. Once again, he was filled with that warm sense of _rightness _that had prompted him to propose last night, something that he'd only ever experienced with her. Then, suddenly, he recognized what it was… it felt like _home_. It was the most extraordinary feeling, and it filled him with wonder. Throughout his adult life, he'd lived in many cities, many apartments, always looking for a place where he'd feel at home and never finding it. Now he realized that 'home' would never be a place for him – it was a person. He'd found where he belonged: it was with her, and he felt with a great sense of certainty that, no matter where, no matter what the circumstances, as long as she was beside him, he would _always_ be home.

He turned his head and kissed her hair, his throat tight.

"Raquel… I'm so lucky you found me."

She looked up at him with soft eyes. "And I'm lucky you found _me._"

He dipped his head and kissed her – his love, his partner, his heart.

"Sergio", she whispered against his lips. "You make me so happy."

He was happy too – happier than he could ever remember being, happier than he ever thought he could be. They sat together on the sand, and watched the sunrise.


End file.
